President Bola Tinubu has approved a N10 billion grant to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to drive Nigeria’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.
This substantial financial injection is set to accelerate the Digital Switch-Over (DSO) project, a transformative initiative aimed at enhancing television programming, expanding nationwide access to TV services, and freeing up valuable spectrum for other technological uses.
The announcement was made by the Director-General of NBC, Charles Ebuebu, during a joint news conference in Abuja on Thursday, where he was joined by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Aminu Maida.
The NBC boss emphasized that the grant is far more than a mere financial allocation; it represents President Tinubu’s collective commitment to driving technological advancement, fostering economic growth, and enriching Nigeria’s cultural landscape through the Digital Switch-Over (DSO) project.
Ebuebu explained that the grant would be strategically used to achieve the DSO goals by developing and managing television channels that cater to diverse interests, ensuring wide access to programming across Nigeria.
He added that the funds will also be allocated to lease transponders and establish a robust satellite backbone, crucial for 100% signal coverage nationwide, including remote and underserved areas.
Additionally, the grant will support audience measurement, marketing, content production, distribution of digital set-top boxes, and the launch of the FreeTV APP.
