An interesting and noteworthy move/expansion here for a platform that’s long focused its efforts on becoming the world’s largest online distributor of specifically African film and TV content (although you’ll also find some Bollywood films and Telenovelas within its offerings). It’ll now include Hollywood-produced/American content in its library, available to subscribers in continental Africa.

Full details via press release below:

iROKOtv.com today announces that it has licensed from Starz Digital Media two of the top award-winning Hollywood dramatic TV series from Starz, "Spartacus" and "Magic City." The acquisitions come as part of the leading African Internet TV platform’s move into international content distribution, as part of its English Speaking Africa package, launched earlier this month.

"Spartacus" is a thrilling tale based on the Thracian historical figure, who led a huge slave uprising against the Roman Empire from BCE 73-71. Starring notable actors, including Andy Whitfield and Liam McIntyre, this four-year series has been praised by critics both in the US and abroad, winning Saturn Awards in 2011 and 2012, as well being nominated for Screen Actor’s Guild Awards (2012 & 2013) and a People’s Choice Award (2013).  

"Magic City," set in 1959 Miami, Florida shortly after the Cuban Revolution, tells the story of Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), the owner of Miami’s most glamorous hotel, the Miramar Playa. Evans is forced to make an ill-fated deal with Miami mob boss Ben Diamond (Danny Huston) to ensure the success of his glitzy establishment. The series was nominated for a Golden Globe® (2013) and an Emmy® (2014).

Jason Njoku, CEO and Co-Founder of iROKOtv.com says: “Licensing Spartacus and Magic City onto iROKOtv.com as part of our international catalogue for ESA is a great coup for us. Awesome, amazingly produced content that brings the best storytelling to the screen – no matter where it’s from in the world – is what we are all about and these TV series are perfect specimens of that. Both series have proved massively popular with audiences in the US and Europe and we hope that our audiences in Africa will love them too.”

For as little as $2.50 a month, iROKOtv.com subscribers throughout ESA can now access an unrivaled and affordable international online content package, to include Hollywood, Bollywood, Telenovela and Korean movies and TV series, as well as a Nollywood catalogue of 5,000 movies (10,000 hours).

The new iROKOtv.com package is available to subscribers in Africa only, with all international content geo-locked to the following countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The international package costS $15 for a three month subscription ($5/month) or $30 for 12 months ($2.50/mth).

Subscribers can pay via a number of methods including Credit/debit cards, Bank Transfers, Western Union or PayPal.

iROKOtv.com is the world’s largest online distributor of African content. Launched in December 2010 as a YouTube channel, NollywoodLove, the company launched a dedicated movie platform www.irokotv.com on 1 December 2011 after securing Series A funding from US-based Hedge Fund Tiger Global of $3Mn. It has since raised an additional $22Mn from Tiger Global, Kinnevik and RISE Capital.

Today, iROKOtv.com has offices in Lagos, New York and Johannesburg and is watched in 178 countries around the world online and is available on PC, mobile, tablet and has a number of content partnerships with hardware market leaders including Nokia and Panasonic.