Entertainment Company Chooses African Base for Global Operations

Choplife, the multifaceted entertainment, media, technology, gaming, and intellectual property company founded by Nigerian musician Mr Eazi (Oluwatosin Ajibade), has officially moved its operations into Itana, Nigeria’s first digital special economic zone. This strategic decision reflects a growing trend among innovative businesses seeking to establish global footprints from within Africa.

The move primarily streamlines Choplife’s corporate and regulatory framework, offering simpler cross-border operations and access to international markets. Since becoming operational in September 2023, Itana has attracted roughly 50 companies eager to leverage its unique digital infrastructure.

“We’re excited to welcome Mr Eazi and the team at Choplife,” said Chinyere Inya, Itana’s CEO. “Their expansion reinforces our vision of making it easier than ever to build world-class businesses from Africa.”

Addressing Fragmentation Challenges

Mr Eazi explained that Choplife generates most of its content on the continent while serving a global audience. The decision to base operations in Itana addresses challenges common to pan-African businesses, such as:

• Fragmented regulatory frameworks across multiple countries
• Complex licensing and banking procedures
• Foreign exchange restrictions
• High transaction costs for cross-border payments (averaging 7.4%-8.3%)

“When I look at what Itana is building, it’s an opportunity to centralize our operations while remaining true to our African roots,” Mr Eazi stated.

Building a Pan-African Tech Ecosystem

Choplife joins Reliance Infosystems, Circular Energy, MasteryHive, Udu Technologies, and Yamify among the companies already operating within Itana. The zone offers benefits like multicurrency accounts, streamlined compliance processes, and access to international markets—all from a single regulatory framework.

This move aligns with Mr Eazi’s broader vision for building pan-African technology businesses that are both globally competitive and deeply rooted in the continent’s creative ecosystem.