The Federal Government will today unveil a new hybrid digital broadcasting platform that will give Nigerians access to 100 free television channels, as part of renewed efforts to complete the country’s long-delayed Digital Switch Over (DSO) programme.
The announcement followed a high-level stakeholders’ meeting convened by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in Abuja, bringing together regulators, broadcasters, signal distributors, satellite operators, set-top box manufacturers and content producers.
Chairing the meeting, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the session as a “family discussion” aimed at resolving outstanding issues and advancing Nigeria’s digital migration agenda.
He said, “The success of the DSO will not be measured simply by the deployment of digital infrastructure. It will be measured by the jobs created, businesses supported, local content produced, investments attracted, and the opportunities opened for future generations of Nigerians.”
At the end of the meeting, stakeholders unanimously adopted a hybrid broadcasting model combining Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite services and digital application-based platforms.
They also agreed that DTT remains a critical part of the system and should not be discontinued.
Stakeholders further resolved that the Digital Implementation Team (DigiTeam) be reconstituted to coordinate execution of the new framework, while reaffirming commitments to job creation, local content development and indigenous manufacturing.
The meeting also directed NBC to protect investments by set-top box manufacturers, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and review technical and regulatory concerns in consultation with industry players.
