#1 Introducing IndusTea: Where Culture Meets Industry

The First Sip inside the World of IndusTea, launching with Mo Abudu, Streaming Ambitions & Industry Heat.

Since our founding in March of 2014, we have led as one of the cultural authorities on stories relevant to Afro-centric audiences, a demographic composed of both Africans on the continent and in the diaspora. To that end, we have consistently been at the forefront of cultural matters, at the vanguard, curating and delivering the stories that matter.

Our guiding ethos has also been that different stories require different approaches or formats. It’s for that reason that our broad spectrum of content verticals exists—With An S, Overnight Success, Obasanjo’s Internet, Uncultured, Carnivores, to name a few.

It’s also why we have elected to start this Substack account. We are launching a new content vertical—IndusTea—which will be disseminated as a direct-to-consumer offering here on Substack. IndusTea is the latest frontier of our product development and is aimed at providing industry professionals across the entire gamut of the creative economy with rigorous, data-driven stories on the latest happenings and trends in their respective fields. The focus with this new vertical is fresh, groundbreaking insights and razor-sharp analysis.

The world is increasingly becoming a complex place, and with the recent reshuffling of the global order as well as the epochal technological revolution that is AI, this slide towards greater complexity will only accelerate.

As such, a steely source of the latest developments in industry, such as IndusTea—which can provide you with fresh insights that have been rigorously analyzed and distilled to an easily digestible form—is not just expedient but essential to remaining ahead of the pack in these times.

On a final but most important note, we cannot do this without you. We know that multiple email blasts can feel exhausting. Please, bear with us. In return, we make you the promise not to abuse our access to you by handling your data with care. If you find this useful, please share it with other people you think will find it useful.

Fresh installments of IndusTea will be available once a week.

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On July 11, MO Abudu, CEO of EbonyLife Group, made an announcement that could reshape the future of African streaming. She unveiled EbonyLife ON Plus, a new platform promising to merge entertainment, empowerment, and lifestyle content, while leveraging local infrastructure and offering it all at lower price points.

On paper, this sounds ambitious. And it is. Especially in a landscape where most existing platforms—like IrokoTV—have fizzled out.

But here’s the twist: this isn’t Mo Abudu’s first foray into streaming. In 2015, she attempted a similar venture that didn’t quite land. So what makes this version different? For one, the streaming landscape is no longer a novelty. Infrastructure, consumer habits, and content expectations have evolved. There’s also the urgent push for African ownership in digital distribution, a movement Abudu is now better positioned to lead.

We were able to speak to her directly about the lessons from 2015, the market shifts she’s betting on, and why she believes EbonyLife ON Plus can finally crack a sustainable, accessible model.

This is the kind of insight we’re interested in at IndusTea, where pop culture meets industry evolution, and fittingly, Abudu takes the crown as our very first IndusTea heavyweight champion.

You're stepping into the streaming space again with EbonyLifeON+, in a market where others have struggled or pulled out entirely. What gives you the confidence that now is the right time, and that this platform will succeed where others have faltered?

EbonyLife ON Plus is not just a streaming platform; it’s a membership experience that brings together entertainment, empowerment, and lifestyle in a way that’s never been done before. We’re not chasing numbers. We’re building a community rooted in shared values and deep cultural connections. Our focus is clear: we are for Nigerians first, for Africans across the continent, and for the diaspora that yearns to see themselves reflected authentically. That clarity of purpose is what gives us confidence.

IROKOTV reportedly burned through $100 million before shutting down, and Netflix and Amazon Prime have stopped commissioning Nigerian originals. What makes your approach different?

The key difference is me, Mo Abudu and what I bring to this. I’m a Nigerian, an African, and a Black woman who has dedicated her entire career to creating platforms that speak to people like me, women younger than me, and to our youth who still have so much to learn. EbonyLife ON Plus is an extension of that lifelong mission.

We are more than a streaming platform, we’re entertainment, lifestyle, e-commerce, and empowerment all rolled into one. Our focus is Nigeria first, and because we truly understand our home audience, we’re not trying to be all things to everyone. We’re intentional and precise. This is for us, by us and built with purpose, heart, and cultural intelligence.

You’ve talked about leveraging local infrastructure. Can you walk us through the specific Nigerian partners or systems you're relying on?

To us, local infrastructure means local stories, local solutions, and systems that are tailored for Nigerian needs. We’ve partnered with free-to-air channels like TVC, NTA, and Channels TV and secured indigenous language channels in Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa.

We’re working with Nigerian telcos to explore affordable data bundles that allow more people to access the platform. Our payment gateway strategy is also locally anchored, giving users seamless access through channels they already trust. And through our e-commerce layer, we’re developing marketplace opportunities for local creatives, designers, and businesses to thrive. It’s all about creating a digital space that’s deeply rooted in and powered by Nigeria.

This is your second attempt at streaming after the 2015 launch with Summview. You previously said the timing wasn’t right. What specific indicators or market shifts suggest that Nigeria is now ready for premium, local streaming?

So much has changed. Back then, it was just content. Today, EbonyLife ON Plus is a fully integrated experience. We’re offering so much more, an exciting mix of streaming, lifestyle, empowerment tools, and a powerful community.

And this time, it’s personal. I, Mo Abudu, am giving so much more of myself. I’ve expanded my brand and built new businesses, projects, and initiatives that strengthen our ecosystem — from EbonyLife Place, EbonyLife Cinemas, The White Orchid Hotel, and The EbonyLife Creative Academy to The Afro Film Fund, tons of international collaborations and partners, the upcoming EbonyLife Place London, and so much more. All of that work and experience is now converging to make this the right time and the right platform — to make a real difference.

You’ve shifted focus from a diaspora-first audience to a dual approach: Nigerian-first and global Black audiences. These groups differ significantly in habits and expectations. How do you plan to serve both effectively?

At its heart, EbonyLife ON Plus is made for Nigerians. It’s built around how we live, what we value, and what we need. That authenticity is also what makes it so appealing to global Black audiences — because it’s real, unapologetic, and rooted in truth.

We understand that expectations may differ, but our approach is about cultural pride, shared identity, and delivering stories and experiences that reflect us in all our diversity. Whether it’s through curated fashion, indigenous language content, or monthly virtual masterclasses, we’re creating a platform that speaks powerfully to both communities.

You have a robust library of over 5,000 hours of original programming, including Blood Sisters and The Wedding Party, but much of that content has already been seen on other platforms. How do you plan to extract new value from older titles while building excitement around fresh, exclusive content?

There’s no such thing as “older titles” in the world of content — only new audiences. Every day, people are discovering classics they missed the first time around. Our award-winning catalogue is still highly relevant, and we’re presenting it in ways that feel fresh and purposeful.

But we’re also moving forward. We have new titles launching every week, every month. There will be monthly live experiences in music, fashion, film, food, and more. My personal brand is fully embedded in the platform, with exclusive access to my masterclasses, digital books, and podcasts.

I’ve personally produced over three new podcast titles for EbonyLife ON Plus, and we’re rolling out ELEV8 — an AI life coach offering personalised support for growth. This is a totally new journey, not a repeat of the past.

With global giants like Netflix and Prime Video boasting massive libraries and aggressive pricing, what’s EbonyLifeON+'s real competitive edge beyond being local?

Our edge is everything I mentioned in the last answer — and more. We have content, yes, but we also have culture, community, commerce, and coaching. We have monthly live events. We have exclusive masterclasses. We have empowerment tools. We have my voice and my brand at the heart of it all.

What they don’t have — is me.

EbonyLife ON Plus is for us, by us. Our pricing will be so affordable, so accessible, that it becomes a no-brainer to be part of it. We are offering value beyond just what you watch — we’re offering how you live, grow, and succeed.

What does success look like for EbonyLifeON+?

Success means building a powerful digital home for our stories, our voices, and our dreams. It’s about creating a space where Nigerians, Africans, and people across the diaspora feel fully seen, fully heard, and fully inspired.

It’s not just about numbers. It’s about building a loyal, passionate membership community that comes to EbonyLife ON Plus not just to be entertained — but to be elevated.

If we can help our members grow personally, connect culturally, and thrive professionally — while being proud of who they are and where they come from — then we’ve succeeded. This platform is a celebration of African excellence. It’s for us, by us — and it’s just the beginning.