Chief Ochuko Derek Omiragwa, founder of Port Harcourt Entertainment Nite and established broadcaster, is launching "The Hangout" podcast with UK production partnership. Ochuko founded Port Harcourt Entertainment Nite 8 years ago and was nominated for a Broadcasters Association of Nigeria award in 2023. The podcast aims to "connect talents, audiences, and opportunities across international borders," according to Vanguard.
Chief Ochuko Derek Omiragwa, the Port Harcourt-based entertainer and founder of a local entertainment platform, is entering podcasting with "The Hangout." The show launches with UK co-production, Vanguard reported on 3 August, marking a shift from broadcast television and live events into audio and international partnerships.
Ochuko's credibility comes from eight years building Port Harcourt Entertainment Nite, a live entertainment and comedy platform. He was nominated by the Broadcasters Association of Nigeria in 2023 and won a local award for television personality. These credentials position him differently from emerging creators starting podcasts from zero: he brings an existing audience, media experience, and broadcast discipline to the format.
The UK co-production model is significant. Rather than launching solo from Nigeria with a local production setup, Ochuko is building international production infrastructure from day one. That choice reflects a broader pattern in African podcast growth: established creators with live or broadcast backgrounds are entering podcasting not as bedroom amateurs but with professional production standards and international partners.
Ochuko himself framed the podcast as a vehicle for "a fresh and unique conversational style to the Nigerian podcast scene," according to Vanguard. The show aims to "connect talents, audiences, and opportunities across international borders," suggesting the format will serve as a bridge between Nigerian talent and UK audiences or platforms.
The timing also matters. Nigeria's podcast ecosystem has grown visibly in the past two years. A 2025 census counted 329 active Nigerian podcasts. PodFest Naija returned to Lagos in August as an industry event. Major platforms from Spotify to YouTube have expanded African creator tooling. For established broadcast personalities with audiences, podcasting is now an obvious second medium, not an experimental one.