The fourth season of the award winning television series, Shuga, will premiere in June next year.
This was made known at a launch for the sex and relationships drama and multimedia campaign that had cast and crew in Lagos.
Among those at the event were Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa, Alex Okosi; Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Georgia Arnold; and director of the Nigerian leg of the series, Biyi Bandele.
“MTV Shuga is a powerful series that addresses issues that are important to everyone. We are very proud to bring another season of this high quality drama to Nigeria, which will not only encompass incredible on-screen storytelling but also engaging event activations designed to heighten its impact,” said Okosi.
Arnold echoed that when she said they are excited to build on the global impact of Shuga 3, which aired to more than 550 million households in Africa, Europe, United Kingdom, United States of America, Asia and the Caribbean via a total of 88 TV broadcasters, including 44 from Africa.
“We look forward to extending the incredible reach and resonance with this new series and multimedia campaign, leveraging the power of Shuga to connect with youth audiences on topics vital for their health and well-being,” she said.
Produced by the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and MTV Base, it is in partnership with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), U.S. President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Targeted at Nigerian youths, the multi-layered MTV Shuga campaign will include a six-part TV series, a radio drama, an MTV Shuga comic book, and intense digital and social media engagement.
A new focus for 2015 will be an increased emphasis on promoting HIV testing, in partnership with the Elton John AIDS Foundation, with the goal of encouraging 25,000 youths to get tested, motivated by a series of special MTV Shuga on Tour festivals nationwide in March 2015. The campaign will also include a peer-to-peer education drive that uses the MTV Shuga TV programme as a tool for stimulating dialogue about, and changing attitudes to, prevalent public health issues.
Created in 2009, Shuga was based in Nairobi for the first two seasons. Aired on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322), BET International, STV, AIT, NTA and iROKO TV, the third series of Shuga (2013) moved the action to Nigeria.
