How Mo Abudu built Ebony Life TV into a big brand

Mosunmola Abudu (known as Mo Abudu) has made her mark in various fields of endeavour, which cut across the corporate world as an Executive in ExxonMobil for nearly a decade. She was the promoter behind the Protea Hotel Oakwood Park, of which she remains a shareholder and director; she was the Founder of Vic Lawrence & Associates, now one of Nigeria’s leading Outsourcing firms. In the world of media, she is the Creator, Executive Producer and Hostess of Moments with Mo, as well as being the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife TV, Africa’s First Global Black Entertainment and Lifestyle Network.  Showing exclusively on EbonyLife TV, Moments with Mo is Africa’s first and only syndicated daily talk show. It airs across 48 African countries and on cable TV in the United Kingdom. In just over 8 years of its existence, Moments with Mo has transformed the face and flavor of African TV. The show has been able to achieve this feat by constantly seeking to build and project a new, stronger more independent and confident Africa that speaks for itself, celebrates its people and achievements, and solves its own problems.


Over the past 8 years of its existence, Moments with Mo has hosted an impressive list of guests, from Presidents to Nobel Laureates; celebrities to Governors, and even the US Secretary of-State, Mrs. Hilary Rodham-Clinton, on her visit to Nigeria; Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of IMF, as well as a honours list of African presidents and leaders, including Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; Dr. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda; African Business mogul and Philanthropist, Mr. Mo Ibrahim; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and General Ibrahim Babangida, former Nigerian Heads of State; Senator Bola Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos state, and General Muhammadu Buhari, the President-elect of the Federal republic of Nigeria, amongst many other notable guests.


Mo believes firmly and focuses on using the influence of the media as a tool to change global perceptions about Africa. Through her role as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife TV, she continues to inspire and influence a change of perception about the African continent via the broadcast of premium, homegrown, original and world-class programming on EbonyLife TV.  Launched in June 2013, EbonyLife TV prides itself as Africa’s First Global Black Entertainment and Lifestyle Network, a channel made in Nigeria for the world, airing to its pan African audience on DStv Channel 165 and in the UK on the Talk – Talk platform and now available globally to the world through its recently launched VOD service, to include agreements with its various global broadcast partners for its ever increasing viewership.



With its target demographics being women and the youth aged 18 – 34, EbonyLife TV speaks exclusively to the needs of these groups fully aware of the pivotal role they play in the society while plugging a gap as the media in the society clearly do not address their needs exclusively. For meeting these needs, its exceptional programming and a growing viewership base, EbonyLife is rated one of the most watched channels by women and youth in the countries where it broadcasts. Mo is extremely proud of her philanthropic work especially with The Inspire Africa Foundation. In partnership with Moreno Construction she recently completed and handed over the construction and furnishing of “The Harbour”, a one hundred-bed home built to cater for street children in Lagos state, South-West of Nigeria. This edifice of refuge, The Harbour, was completed and handed over in October 2013 to be managed and administered by a non-Governmental Organization, “Women’s Helping Hands initiative”.


In recognition of her outstanding work in diverse fields, especially in the field of media, as well as her service to humanity, she has been honoured with many laurels, including the Award by Forbes Media recognizing her as the first African woman to launch a Pan-African TV channel; Entrepreneur of the year by WomenWerk in New York; 25 Most Powerful Women in Global TV by the Hollywood Reporter, amongst many other awards. Most recently, she was honoured with an Honorary Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) from Babcock University; Nigeria’s premier private University.


As an accomplished entrepreneur, philanthropist and media mogul, much of her life’s work and successes have been the subject of numerous international editorials, notably CNN’s review on her media exploits which described her as ‘Africa’s Queen of Media who conquered the continent’ in the founding of her media empire; and Forbes recognition as one of Africa’s most successful women.  Sought after for her in-depth knowledge on the African and Global creative industry, she has honoured invitations to speak at Cambridge University Judge School of Business, Harvard University, New York University Stern School of Business, numerous government fora, international events, amongst many other speaking engagements.

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About Unknown

Deji Sadiq, a.k.a DEJI OF LAGOS is a LASU trained Economist turned freelance journalist, a Blogger, an information strategist, a public affairs analyst and a committed activist with a passion for equal opportunities.