Nigerian Idol Season 10, which coasted to an exciting finale Sunday July 13, 2025, was the fourth year that HS Studios will host the epic live television entertainment show. For HS Studios, this 10th Season it was a landmark and the Company continues to relish the experience. Media entrepreneur and President/CEO of what is easily the largest television production complex in the west coast of Africa, Taye Ige, is excited by the partnership with one of Africa’s biggest musical talents shows which gets better year on year and says its success so far portends greater times ahead. In this interview with Sani Tureta, Ige bares his mind on the iconic Nigerian Idol Season 10 and HS Studios’ contribution to its widely acclaimed success.

What prompted organisers of the Nigerian Idol to partner with HS Media for the packaging, production and broadcast of the annual musical talent hunt show?

No, I think there’s a misconception there. HS Studios’ partnership with Nigerian Idol is to the extent of being facilities providers for the yearly Show. Things like production etc. are outside the purview of the relationship.

How has the journey been in terms of acceptance and quality in delivery, especially with the just ended Season 10 of the show?

Well, the situation speaks for itself. We just had a successful run which concluded last Sunday. That was the fourth time in a row HS Studios is hosting the show and we are happy that the tenth anniversary of a show of calibre was successfully held in one of our five Studios. If they (the producers) had issues or were in any way dissatisfied with their experience in the past, they won’t keep coming. So, we thank God Almighty for that.

What would you say has been the most gratifying elements of HS Media’s collaboration with Nigerian Idol?

This relationship has ticked so many boxes positively for us at HS Studios but by far the most satisfying is that it has convinced us in a most assured way, that our heads were skewed in the right places when we decided to massively invest in this business. You recall that prior to now, big time reality shows of this calibre held outside the country with all the logistical challenges that attend such ventures. BB Naija, The Voice Naija, etc. used to be produced from outside the shores of our land even though sponsored by Nigerian companies. So, we thought this wasn’t right and decided to address the major concern of Producers which was the absence of quality production facilities and here we are today. In addition to Nigerian Idol, HS Studios has also been found good enough for such international big Shows as the MTN Yellow Star, Genesis Studio’s The Price is Right, Salary for Life, MTN We Move, Super Eagles Watch, a Nigerian Super Eagles series sponsored by the Team’s official telecommunications partner, etc.

Has your pedigree in sports marketing been a factor in your ability to adapt to this new terrain in entertainment?

Yes, I mean I have done sports marketing for upwards of a quarter of a century and it will naturally find its way into whatever I do. In any case, marketing, whether of an entertainment facility like this or of sports, requires the same inputs. So, all join, as we say in popular parlance.

Would you honestly say that this impactful and audience-pulling show has been better since HS Studios came into the picture as host?

Yes, most certainly. One thing our clients have enjoyed is the one-stop nature of HS Studios. Come in with your production idea and no matter how complex the concept is, you always find that everything you need to bring it to life is under our roof. So, the convenience offered by such a purpose-built facility almost always rub off on quality. Nigerian Idol has thus greatly benefitted from the facility and we are all the better for it. I mean, everything is here: five Studios of varying sizes the largest being 900sqm which is unrivaled in these parts, residence for contestants, changing rooms, VIP/Judges Chalets, a 2