NTA Partners with University of Abuja to Produce “NewBranches”

The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Tari Taylaur, the authority’s Executive Director has announced a partnership with the University of Abuja for its new original drama series, New Branches. This partnership with the department of Theatre Arts will see students, from the department, working as cast and crew on the original drama series. Students will gain hands-on experience in television production while studying. This structured opportunity to get practical training in acting, directing, scriptwriting, and other filmmaking departments will present a talent development pipeline for these young Nigerian students. 

Taylaur and the Authority have visited the faculty to share plans and work out details on how collaboration will work. Although the details aren’t public yet, the partnership is in motion. When Taylaur was appointed the Executive Director, she took a renewed interest in reviving the station. In her interview with Culture Custodian’s IndusTea, she detailed the Authority’s plans for the Nigerian film industry. Renewing classical dramas, solving the industry’s distribution issue and creating a development infrastructure were listed as what the Authority will be doing. Truthfully, the Authority partnered with Niyi Akinmolayan-owned Anthills Studio to launch Temi & The Labalaba Band, a children’s program and collaborated with X3M Ideas (an advertisement agency) and Acon Media to announce the launch of LAS GIDI, a premium sitcom that follows the journey of a young man determined to succeed by any means necessary in the vibrant city of Lagos. 

Taylaur also consulted with the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) and a group of Nollywood producers and veteran actors to share the Authority’s plans. The S16 Film Festival has also announced a distribution partnership with the  Authority to broadcast curated short-film programs nationwide. For decades, NTA has enjoyed a monopoly due to its extensive distribution network. Its drama series and telenovelas including Laolu Ogunniyi’s Wind Against My Soul, For Better or Worse, Lola Fani Kayode’s Mirror in the Sun, New Masquerade, Basi and Company, Tales by Moonlight, Cock Crow at Dawn, Village Headmaster, Behind the Clouds, Amaka Igwe’s Checkmate often elicit mainstream conversation and launched the career of many Nigerian filmmakers and actors. 

Now, in 2026, the Authority will be partnering with the department of Theatre Arts. This collaboration will provide mutual benefit for students and the Authority. For students, they will get real-world experience, while NTA gets fresh talent and innovative ideas. The partnership will also highlight the importance of industry-academia partnerships in nurturing the next generation of Nigerian creatives. By moving away from purely in-house or outsourced professional productions and integrating the University of Abuja’s Theatre Arts Department, the impact will be felt across several layers of the industry. For the students, they will transition from religiously studying the history of drama to understanding the rhythm of working on a Nigerian film set. 

Also, working on New Branches will act as a formal bridge for interested young talents into the film industry. In a do-it-yourself industry, this is one great to create a formal entry point into the industry for interested Nigerians. Working with trained students, NTA will likely infuse New Branches with contemporary themes, fresh dialogue, and modern aesthetics. By involving students in cast and crew roles, the project provides an unprecedented standardization  of internships and entry-level roles in the media.