In the past year, I have always tried to be updated on new streaming services in Nigeria and the kind of content they are offering. Not that I intend to patronise them; I think I’m fairly satisfied with iROKOtv since subscribing on the platform, but I was mildly annoyed when I searched for the Nollywood film The Visit and couldn’t find it.

In the streaming era, content is key, but an expansive one is the real buffet. Which is why my love for Netflix is everlasting, forever and ever, Amen. If anything, I’m loving the competitive nature of the Nigerian streaming chain and how things have been decentralised from iROKOtv, which used to be the standard bearer of streaming and was once referred to as the “Netflix of Africa.”

Now, Linda Ikeji TV and EbonyLife ON have jumped into the fray, the latter launching on Sunday with the new legal drama Castle & Castle starring Dakore Akande and Richard Mofe-Damijo. Mind you, don’t be confused by the purported, beguiling feature “video-on-demand” that EbonyLife ON has christened itself with, which is nothing but streaming nomenclature.

We are super excited to introduce EbonyLife ON, our video on-demand service, to an international audience from July 1st! Part of the exciting content that will be available on the platform is a new EbonyLife original series – Castle & Castle, Nigeria’s first legal drama. Starring Nollywood heavyweights Richard Mofe-Damijo, @mofedamijo and Dakore Egbuson-Akande @dakoreea audiences will get the chance to enjoy this quality show that tells stories about complicated family dynamics and the legal industry for a token of N150 (Nigeria)/$.099 (worldwide) per episode. Please note: Subscription opens to viewers in Africa from July 1st, 2018. Go to  www.EbonyLifeON.com to watch #CastleandCastle. #Ceelebrating5Years #EbonyLifeON #150NairaPerEpisode #500NairaMonthlySubscription

A post shared by EbonyLife TV (@ebonylifetv) on Jun 30, 2018 at 12:06pm PDT

What I find a little interesting, though, is the pricing strategy, which straddles the flat-fee model of N500 per monthly subscription and the pay-as-you-go model of N150 per episode. Most modern subscription apps function on a flat-fee model, in which a consumer pays a lump sum every month for mostly unfettered access to something like a gym, rental equipment, or a telephone service.

Entertainment , enough of it …. Series, movies , reality shows, talk shows, comedy shows and so much more …. #LITV . Will be available on Android, Comcast and IOS

A post shared by Linda Ikeji TV (@lindaikejitv) on May 26, 2018 at 7:48am PDT

Pay-as-you-go typically means you’re paying smaller amounts more frequently, for one-time usage of, say, an exercise class or an international call. Essentially, a flat-fee model is to a buffet as a pay-as-you go is to a regular restaurant meal. That said, I’m not sure if this dual system applies to all the content on EbonyLife ON, or if this is just a marketing tool to draw in prospective subscribers.

The world of streaming is changing and platforms are trying to outdo each other, outrageously spending on content and poaching and acquiring the services of top-tier writers and producers, like how Netflix procured Ryan Murphy in a mouth-watering deal in February. In Nigeria, it might all come down to who is willing to offer more cheaper service and still not compromise on quality. And presently EbonyLife ON is doing just that.