Africa Independent Television (AIT), Silverbird Television (STV), and 50 other television stations have had their licenses canceled by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for allegedly refusing to renew them.
Malam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, the director-general of the commission, made the announcement Wednesday during a news conference in Abuja.
According to him, the stations in question owing up to N2.6 billion.
He claims that the commission named stations that had not renewed their licenses in May 2022 and gave them two weeks to pay up or have their licenses revoked, their frequencies withdrawn, and their frequencies assigned to other stations who would be prepared to comply with the necessary requirements.
In violation of the commission’s act, CAP N11, and the laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, in particular section 10(a) of the Act, he claimed that some stations were still owing money three months after the publication.
Ilelah informed them that their licenses had been revoked and gave them 24 hours to stop operating.
He also urged all stations to renew their licenses for the next 30 days if they haven’t already in order to avoid punishment.
In order to prevent disconnections, the NBC director general urged all Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and other broadcast stations that transmit content online to register with the commission.
Even if the impacted stations paid their fees, DG of NBC claimed, they would still need to pay a recommencement fee in order to resume broadcasting.
AIT/Ray Power FM (DAAR Communication Itd), Greetings FM (Greetings Media Ltd), Tao FM (Ovidi Communications Ltd), Zuma FM (Zuma FM Ltd), Crowther FM (Crowther Communications Ltd), We FM (Kings Broadcasting Ltd), Linksman International ltd, Bomay Broadcasting Services Ltd, MITV (Murhi International Group Ltd), Classic FM (Pink FM), and Silverbird TV (Silverbird Communications Co. Ltd.
Others listed by NBC are Splash FM (West Midlands Ltd); Rock City FM (Boot Communications Itd); Family FM (Kalaks Investments Nig. Ltd); Space FM (Creazioni Nig. Ltd); Radio Jeremi (Radio Jeremi ltd); FM Abuja; FM Lagos; FM Yenagoa; FM Port-Harcourt; FM Jos; Wave FM (South Atlantic Media Ltd); Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation; Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation; Niger State Broadcasting Corporation; Benin Network.
Also, FM Network, FM Okene; FM Suleja; FM Abuja; FM Benin; Breeze FM (Bays Water ltd); Vibes FM (Vibes Communication Ltd); Family Love FM (Multimesh Broadcasting Co. Ltd), Port Harcourt.
Also affected were Lagos DSB and State Broadcasting Corporations, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Imo, Anambra, Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kaduna and Katsina.
