Press Release - Leading mobile operator, Zain and MTV has opened an exciting window of opportunity for music lovers in Nigeria and millions across the world who were not able to attend Africa’s biggest music awards, to watch the programme on Television at the comfort of their homes.

The ceremony, the MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain, is the biggest celebration of music artistes in the African Continent. Several Nigerian artistes including MI, Dbanj, Tu Face and P Square won awards at the Show held in Nairobi, Kenya.

The ceremony will be broadcast on terrestrial and satellite television across Africa, and in other parts of the world including Asia, Oceania, Europe, and North America.

Music enthusiasts in Nigeria will have a chance to watch the Show on local television stations including Silverbird Television and Africa Independent Television on Sunday, October 17, 2009. The broadcast of the programme into homes in the country will afford million of Nigerians a rare chance to see their favourite artistes thrill guests at the Indoor Arena, Moi International Sports Complex, Nairobi, Kenya.

Residents of many other Africa countries can also catch the programme on MTV base (on DStv Channel 322, Daarsat) and on terrestrial channels such as RTGA (DRC), ZNBC (Zambia), Citizen TV (Kenya), WBS (Uganda), TBC 1 (Ghana), and TV3 (Ghana) same day.

The MTV Africa Music Awards was held in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr Saad Al Barrak, CEO of Zain, the co-sponsor of the MAMAs, said the Show confirmed the huge talent that Africa possesses and the influence it had upon the world of music. “Much of the music we listen to today has its roots in this great continent. I cannot emphasize strongly enough what a privilege it is for Zain to lend its name to such an event. In doing so, we are both keeping alive the flame of Africa’s cultural consciousness and delivering on our promise to bring you “A wonderful world.”

This year’s edition was hosted by multi talented artist, Wyclef Jean. Host Wyclef Jean set the uplifting tone for the evening with an electrifying live set including monster hits ‘Sweetest Girl’, ‘No Woman No Cry‘ and ‘Ready or Not’.

The Haitian-born Jean is no stranger to the music awards scene, he has won and been nominated for multiple awards in his distinguished career including Grammys, MTV Video Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, the BRITS and the BET Awards. His credentials for hosting the show are impeccable – having hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards in Stockholm, Sweden in 2000 and the MTV Australia Music Awards in 2008.

Hip hop phenomenon Akon, making a long anticipated trip to Kenya, rose to the challenge, rousing the crowd with a show-stopping version of his track, Beautiful

The Awards featured electrifying performances from top artistes across the world including Nigeria’s fast rising rap sensation, MI also known as Mr. Incredible is also scheduled to perform at the awards.

Originally, African artists were awarded an MTV Europe Music Award voted by MTV Base Africa viewers for Best African artist in the 2006 and 2007 MTV Europe Music Awards. The first MTV Africa Music Awards with Zain on Africa soil took place in Nigeria on November 22, 2008 and was broadcast around the world on November 29, 2008 on local television channels in Africa. The show was hosted by Trevor Nelson. The awards ceremony was preceded by four nation (Road to MAMAs) concerts to celebrate the musicians nominated for the awards.

The Award categories include Artist of the Year, Best Alternative, Best Female, Best Group, Best Hip-Hop, Best Live Performance, Best Male, Best New Act, Best R&B, Video of the Year and the MY Video Award which allows viewers to make their own version of a music video.