Anthill Studios, a Nollywood production company, is attempting to breathe new life into child content across Africa with the launch of its latest family sitcom, ‘Temi & The Labalaba Band,’ on YouTube.
Since its premiere on April 18, 2025, the show has racked up over 30,000 views. The sitcom follows 12-year-old Temi and her friends Barry, Rasak, Mina, and Boniface as they form a band to rescue her grandmother’s Lagos-based restaurant, Mama B’s, from financial ruin and eviction.
Through music and dance, the children transform the restaurant into a vibrant attraction, weaving a tale that celebrates African culture, friendship, and family resilience.
Anthill’s choice to debut the 13-episode series on YouTube taps into the platform’s vast, youth-dominated audience and its ability to bypass traditional broadcasting hurdles.
“YouTube’s global reach allows us to bring authentic African stories directly to children and families, not just in Nigeria but across the continent and beyond,” said Niyi Akinmolayan, Anthill Studios’ founder and the show’s director.
With its accessibility and potential for viral growth, YouTube has proven an ideal launchpad, evidenced by the show’s rapid rise and enthusiastic reception.
Read also: Anthill Studios create family platform to address Nollywood children’s programming gap
This move comes at a time when children’s programming in Africa has been largely overlooked, often overshadowed by foreign content that fails to reflect local experiences. Anthill Studios, through its dedicated family division, Anthill Family, aims to fill this gap.
“Children’s programming has been ignored for too long,” Akinmolayan noted. “We’re here to revive it with wholesome, exciting content that entertains, inspires, and empowers the next generation to embrace their heritage.”
The significance of ‘Temi & The Labalaba Band’ extends beyond entertainment. The Federal Government, via the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, has hailed the sitcom as a vital step forward for Nigerian arts and culture, aligning with the nation’s goal to become Africa’s creative epicentre.
Shaibu Hussein, executive director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), praised the show as “a deep-sighted creation to nurture interest in Africa-focused children’s videos while shaping future leaders in the film industry.”
The show’s lead, Temi Ajamolaya, who plays the spirited Temi, stated, “This role is a dream come true. I hope kids watching see how family love and hope can make anything possible.”
Available in English, French, and Portuguese, ‘Temi & The Labalaba Band’ is designed to reach diverse audiences, with plans to expand to terrestrial and cable TV, as well as streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Akinmolayan highlighted that this sitcom could position Anthill Family as a potential “Disney for Africa” driven by African creators. “We’re reshaping the landscape of children’s entertainment,” he added. “This is about laughter, tears, enlightenment, and a renewed sense of family bonding.”
