The Netng (Nigerian Entertainment Today) also known as ''NET'' is an online entertainment

news News is information about current events. This may be provided through many different Media (communication), media: word of mouth, printing, Mail, postal systems, broadcasting, Telecommunications, electronic communication, or through the te ...

organisation based in

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

, Nigeria. It is a leading source of African entertainment, fashion and lifestyle news. Netng formed part of NET Newspaper Limited (NNL) until 2019 when it was acquired by ID Africa. Netng is the organiser of NECLive (Nigerian Entertainment Conference) and the NET Honours.

History

Nigerian Entertainment Today (NET) was established on November 23, 2009, by Ayeni Adekunle. NET also ran as a print media and its printed copies circulated in about 37 major Nigerian cities and sold 10,000 copies weekly. In 2016, NET gradually phased out its print version as many of its readers moved online in search of entertainment news. In April 2013, a website ranking organisation,

Alexa Alexa may refer to: Technology *Amazon Alexa, a virtual assistant developed by Amazon * Alexa Internet, a defunct website ranking and traffic analysis service * Alexa Fluor, a family of fluorescent dyes * Arri Alexa, a digital motion picture ca ...

ranked Netng 33rd most visited website in Nigeria. Days after the ranking was announced, NET website (www.thenetng.com) came under a sustained hackers attack believed to be from certain Rocco Mancini who took total control of the site and made it inaccessible to visitors. The hackers initially demanded a ransom of $1,200. Later this amount was reduced but the publisher refused to pay any ransom to the hackers preferring to launch a new domain (www.thenet.ng). By 2014, the new website was ranked among 100 top websites in Nigeria by Alexa. The NET Newspaper Limited (NNL) and all its subsidiaries including Netng was acquired in 2019 by ID Africa. The acquisition ceded total ownership rights to ID Africa.

Reportage

Netng is known for breaking and reporting exclusive entertainment news. For instance, Netng was first to break the news of the birth of

Wizkid Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), better known as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Born in the Ojuelegba suburb of Surulere, Lagos, Wizkid is a voice in the emerging Afrobeats movement. His music is a blend of Afrobea ...

and

Ice Prince Panshak Henry Zamani (born 30 October 1986), better known as Ice Prince Zamani or just Ice Prince, is a Nigerian rapper, singer and songwriter. He rose to fame after releasing "Oleku (Ice Prince song), Oleku", one of Nigeria's most remixed son ...

's kids. In 2012, Netng reported an exclusive interview granted it by

D'Banj Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo (born 9 June 1980), known professionally as D'banj ( ), is a Nigerians, Nigerian singer, rapper, music executive, event host and television personality. He signed with American rapper Kanye West's record label GOOD Music ...

in London providing a comprehensive insight into what led to the break up of

Don Jazzy Michael Collins Ajereh (born 26 November 1982), known professionally as Don Jazzy, is a Nigerian music executive, record producer, singer, songwriter, businessman, and philanthropist. He founded the record label Mavin Records in 2012, as a sub ...

and D'banj (co-founders of

Mo' Hits Records Mo'Hits Records (popularly called Mo'Hits) was a Nigeria-based music record label owned by D'banj and Don Jazzy. According to Nigeria's Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mo'Hits Records Limited was founded in 2006, signing D'banj as its first ...

). This exclusive report laid to rest speculations about the cause of their breakup. The maiden print edition of the Netng broke the news of the death of a Nigerian rapper,

Da Grin Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun, also known as Dagrin (25 October 1984 – 22 April 2010), was a Nigerian rapper from Ogun, Nigeria. A film of his life entitled ''Ghetto Dreamz'' was produced in April 2011. He is recognized for paving the way for i ...

with a special tribute. Printed copies of the paper sold out within weeks of its first emergence in news stands across 37 major cities in Nigeria.

References

{{Reflist Newspapers published in Lagos Newspapers established in 2010 2009 establishments in Nigeria Companies based in Lagos Weekly newspapers published in Nigeria