The island nation of Seychelles has officially announced that it will host the 10th Edition of the Broadcasting Convention Southern Africa, which will bring together Africa’s broadcast leaders and executives, as well as other stakeholders from October 22 to 25, 2026, in its capital city of Victoria, located on the main island of Mahé.
Convened and organised by Broadcast Media Africa (BMA) in collaboration with the Southern Africa Broadcasting Association (SABA), the Convention is expected to attract hundreds of delegates, including broadcast executives, media owners, government representatives, regulators, content producers, technology companies, streaming platforms, telecommunications providers, academic institutions, and development organisations from across Southern Africa and beyond.
Announcing the event, Ms Ginnie Lucas, Principal Secretary in the Department of Information of the Government of Seychelles, said: “Seychelles is honoured to welcome the region’s broadcasting community to our shores for this landmark tenth edition. Hosting the Broadcasters Convention is a timely opportunity for Seychelles to deepen its commitment towards a modern media landscape, working alongside our Southern African partners to build the skills, technology, and institutional capacity that will carry public and independent broadcasting forward for the next generation.”
The 2026 Convention will provide a platform for broadcasters, regulators, technology innovators, policymakers, and media professionals to meet, exchange ideas, explore emerging trends, and develop practical solutions to the challenges facing the sector.
As host broadcaster, the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) said it was looking forward to welcoming delegates from across the region and to providing a platform that encourages meaningful dialogue, knowledge sharing, and stronger partnerships within the Southern African broadcasting community.
Mr Bérard Duprès, SBC’s Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement welcoming the region’s broadcast industry to Seychelles: “It is a great honour for Seychelles and for SBC to host the Broadcasters Convention as it reaches this significant tenth edition. Broadcasting connects our communities, safeguards our shared stories, and supports national development, and we are proud to welcome colleagues from across Southern Africa to Mahé. We look forward to days of open exchange, fresh thinking, and lasting partnerships that will strengthen our industry for the decade ahead”.
Commenting on the announcement, Mr Benjamin Pius, Chief Executive Officer of Broadcast Media Africa, the Convention’s principal convener, said: “Ten editions of the Broadcasters Convention reflect a decade of bringing Southern Africa’s broadcasting community together to share knowledge, address common challenges, and identify new growth opportunities. As our industry continues to transform, collaboration and innovation have become more important than ever. This landmark Convention will not only celebrate how far the industry has come but will also focus on preparing broadcasters for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.”
Meanwhile, the Secretariat of the Southern Africa Broadcasting Association (SABA) congratulated SBC and the Government of Seychelles for hosting the Convention, saying: “The Southern Africa Broadcasting Association congratulates SBC on hosting this landmark tenth edition. Over the past decade, the Broadcasters Convention has become an essential meeting point for our members; a space to confront shared challenges, learn from one another, and shape the future of broadcasting across the region. We commend SBC for its leadership and look forward to a successful convention that deepens collaboration throughout the SABA membership.”
Alongside the conference programme, attendees will have access to an exhibition showcasing the latest broadcast technologies, products and services, as well as dedicated networking sessions designed to foster new business partnerships and collaborative initiatives.
Seychelles is an archipelago of 155 tropical islands situated in the Indian Ocean, southeast of mainland Eastern Africa and about 1,600 kilometers east of Kenya. It is the smallest country in Africa, as well as the least populated sovereign African country, with an estimated population of 124,600 people.
Headquartered in London, in the United Kingdom, BMA is a leading industry organisation working to advance Africa’s broadcasting and media sector. It provides news, data, intelligence, and insight, with the objective of keeping industry stakeholders abreast of the technology and service innovations shaping the continent’s media landscape. Its work spans market surveys, reports, training, a pan-African industry membership network, and gatherings such as the Broadcasters Convention series.
Founded in 1993, SABA represents public broadcasters across Southern Africa. It works to enhance professionalism and credibility in public broadcasting, promote knowledge sharing and news exchange among members and champion free expression and access to information across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
SBC is the national public broadcaster of the Seychelles, established in its current form on May 1, 1992, as a state-funded but editorially independent corporation under Article 168 of the country’s Constitution. It operates three television channels, namely SBC1, SBC2, and SBC3, as well as radio services Radyo Sesel and Paradise FM, and the SBC+ streaming platform, headquartered in Victoria.
