The federal government has set December 2028 as the final date for the complete shift from analogue to digital television (TV) broadcasting.
Charles Ebuebu, the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, revealed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ebuebu stated that the December 2028 deadline signified the last analogue switch-off.
“We put a timeline for analogue switch-off. Before that time, a lot of things will be put in place. This is just phase one,” he said.
He mentioned that later phases would include pay TV services, studio development, and specific production hubs for content creators.
The NBC leader mentioned that audience measurement was advancing, with a proof of concept finished in approximately 7,000 households in Lagos, and the execution had started in Abuja.
He stated that the commission will disclose the phases following discussions with important stakeholders, such as the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, to gain their approval.
He stated that the analogue switch-off would release important spectrum for various applications, referring to it as a strategic national resource.
Ebuebu stated that the spectrum will be appraised by experts prior to being distributed to users, including telecommunications, application, and financial services firms.
“I won’t put a sum to it, but it is valued at upwards of about 50 billion dollars. Consultants will determine its actual value before allocation,” he said.
Regarding outdated broadcasting equipment, Ebuebu stated that the commission was formulating a policy informed by expert advice and global best practices.
He stated that the Digital Switchover White Paper mandated broadcasters to differentiate between content production and transmission, with transmission managed by signal distributors like NIGCOMSAT.
He believes that outdated analogue devices can be reused if feasible and that the government should be contacted to take on unusable assets to avoid environmental risks from industrial refuse.
