VIP Music channel MTV's first pan-African music channel, the long-anticipated MTV base, launches on February 22, it was announced on Thursday.

MTV base is MTV Networks' 100th television channel worldwide. The 24-hour, English-language channel will go live to air at 8pm Central African Time, MTV said in a statement on Thursday.

MTV base will provide young Africans with their own MTV channel, while linking African viewers to MTV's global network of music channels.

Brent Hansen, chief executive and president of MTV Networks Europe, said: "Following MTV's localisation strategy, MTV base will provide a unique cultural meeting point for young people in Africa, using the common language of music to connect music fans from different backgrounds and cultures.

"With its focus on the broad spectrum of contemporary African music, MTV base is designed to become part of the fabric of African youth culture, providing African fans with a unique, pan-regional music mix that ignores geographical and political boundaries to access the best African and urban music and talent from around the world."

Linda Vermaas, MultiChoice's head of content, said: "As a pan-African company, MultiChoice recognises and celebrates the uniqueness of Africa, and in particular its music. And it is both music and technology that connects and unites the continent's many diverse peoples.

"So, it is fitting that a bespoke and relevant music channel like MTV base should be offered on MultiChoice's digital satellite platform in nearly 50 countries."

MTV base will start broadcasting with a specially recorded message from African-American rap artist Xzibit. His words of welcome will be echoed by international and African artists as well as African music fans from around the region, filmed in the cities and streets of Africa in the weeks leading up to launch.

A commitment to encouraging and developing grassroots African music talent is a major part of MTV base's agenda.

The channel's music playlist will include videos from African artists such as Femi Kuti (Nigeria), Magic System (C?te d'Ivoire), SSP (Angola), Nameless (Kenya), VIP (Ghana), Zama Jobe (South Africa) and Angelique Kidjo (Benin).

A regular weekly music documentary series, MTV base Spotlight, will focus on emerging artists, using footage and interviews with artists such as Nigeria's 2face and South Africa's Lebo.

The channel will also have a continent-wide network of talent scouts, aiming to find and foster new and emerging musicians and genres.

At its launch, MTV base will reach about 1,3-million households in Africa.