Actors on the set of the Nigerian Television Authority’s (NTA) iconic drama series Cockcrow at Dawn.

Actors on the set of the Nigerian Television Authority’s (NTA) iconic drama series Cockcrow at Dawn.

Actors on the set of the Nigerian Television Authority’s (NTA) iconic drama series Cockcrow at Dawn.

Date: 1982

The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), established in 1977, is the national television network of Nigeria and remains one of the largest TV networks in Africa. It was formed following the merger of all existing regional television stations across the country into a single, unified national broadcaster. NTA played a critical role in shaping public perception, national identity, and entertainment in post-independence Nigeria. With a mandate to inform, educate, and entertain, NTA became a powerhouse of original African content in the 1980s and 1990s, producing classic shows, documentaries, and dramas that resonated deeply with Nigerian audiences.

One of its most celebrated productions was Cockcrow at Dawn, a drama series that aired in the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Sponsored by the United Bank for Africa (UBA), the show was both entertaining and educational. It focused on promoting agriculture and rural development through compelling storytelling. The series followed the life of a young man who, after studying abroad, returns to Nigeria to invest in farming, facing numerous challenges and societal pressures in the process.

Cockcrow at Dawn became a household name across the country, remembered for its powerful acting, socially relevant themes, and the memorable opening theme song. It was part of a larger initiative to use television as a tool for national development, encouraging Nigerian youths to see value in agriculture and self-reliance during a time when the country was pushing for food security and local empowerment.

Today, Cockcrow at Dawn remains one of the most nostalgic and impactful Nigerian television series ever produced, symbolizing a golden era of Nigerian broadcasting under the stewardship of the NTA.

Anizor Austin Nwanne
Director Media, Digital Information and Online Communications for
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