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PARTNER MESSAGE
Blu Dot surpasses 2,000% ROAS with self-serve CTV ads
Home furniture brand Blu Dot blew up on CTV with help from Roku Ads Manager. Here’s how:
After a test campaign reached 211,000 households and achieved 1,010% ROAS, the brand went all in to promote its annual sales event. It removed age and income constraints to expand reach and shifted budget to custom audiences and retargeting, where intent was strongest.
The results speak for themselves. As Blu Dot increased their investment by 10x, ROAS jumped to 2,308% and more page-view conversions surpassed 50,000.
“For CTV campaigns, Roku has been a top performer,” said Claire Folkestad, Paid Media Strategist, Blu Dot. “Comping to our other platforms, we have seen really strong ROAS… and highly efficient CPMs, lower than any other CTV partner we've worked with.”
Using Roku Ads Manager, the campaign moved from a pilot to a permanent performance engine for the brand.
Africa’s daily intelligence on business, policy and power—what changed, what it means and what to watch next.
OPENING SIGNAL
Dangote net worth surpasses Jack Ma as refinery valuation surges
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Forbes currently estimates Aliko Dangote's net worth at $51.3 billion, up from $28.5 billion, following the launch of the Initial Public Offering for his $20 billion oil refinery.
Launched on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos, the IPO offers 4.1 billion new ordinary shares at N525 each, aiming to raise roughly N2.15 trillion ($1.6 billion). While Forbes updated its figure, Bloomberg values Dangote lower at $35.3 billion. The refinery, which carries an equity valuation of about N63 trillion ($47.59 billion), plans to expand production capacity from 700,000 to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2029.
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BUSINESS · MINING & DEFENSE TECH
Defense Tech Firm Secures $1M Contract to Secure Critical Mining Assets
A specialized defense technology provider locked in a $1 million security contract to deploy autonomous surveillance and tactical protection systems across high-value lithium and gold concessions, safeguarding critical mineral supply chains from regional insurgency risks.
POLICY · BORDER SECURITY & TRADE
Nigeria Partners with China for Advanced Border Intelligence Sharing
Customs and security officials in Abuja finalized an intelligence-sharing agreement with Beijing, deploying Chinese surveillance technology and data systems to curb cross-border smuggling and secure major West African trade corridors.
POWER · AEROSPACE & MILITARY
Morocco Receives Half a Dozen HT-100 Unmanned Helicopters
The Royal Moroccan Air Force expanded its tactical drone inventory with the delivery of six HT-100 autonomous unmanned helicopters, strengthening surveillance and perimeter defense capabilities along its southern border and maritime approaches.
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AS OF APPROX. 08:00 WAT, SEP 15, 2026 · BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA MARKETS
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GEOPOLITICS & SECURITY
Libya rejects claims of hosting Ukrainian military operations
Libyan authorities issued a formal diplomatic denial regarding reports suggesting national territory was utilized by Ukrainian security personnel for drone strikes against Russian oil tankers, reiterating Tripoli's strict non-alignment despite Russia maintaining six active military airbases across eastern Libya. The statement follows rising geopolitical friction across North Africa and the Sahel.
THE AFRICA ANGLE: Sovereign defense ministries must maintain strict diplomatic oversight over foreign military footprints to prevent domestic infrastructure from becoming entangled in external geopolitical disputes.
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EXECUTIVE TRIVIA HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW AFRICAN BUSINESS? One quick question on African business, economics, policy or corporate history. Choose an answer below and see immediately if you are right. |
Which major industrial asset primarily drove Aliko Dangote's recent net worth surge past global tech founders?
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