Nigeria to Roll Out Nationwide Digital Broadcasting on June 17 – Minister Idris
Nigeria will finally complete its transition from analogue to digital broadcasting nationwide on June 17, Minister of Information and National Orientation Alhaji Mohammed Idris has announced.
The long-awaited Digital Switch Over, DSO, marks a key step in President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda for the broadcast industry, Idris said during a facility tour of NIGCOMSAT at the Obasanjo Space Centre.
“This is going to bring a lot of advantages to broadcasters, viewers, and advertisers,” the minister said. “If you are viewing any particular station, you will know who is viewing, what they are watching, and how many people are watching.”
The new system will provide accurate audience measurement and analytics, allowing broadcasters and advertisers to make data-driven decisions on programming and investment while improving content delivery nationwide.
Idris, joined by NBC Director-General Charles Ebuebu and NIGCOMSAT MD/CEO Jane Egerton-Idehen, described the launch as a turning point for the sector. He said it fulfills the president’s promise to reform broadcasting after years of delay.
The minister highlighted wider economic and technological gains, including stronger competition, expanded access to free TV, and better viewing quality across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.
“The monopoly has been broken. Everybody is going to compete. Content is going to grow, viewership will grow, and Nigeria is now moving from SD to HD broadcasting,” he said.
Nigerians will also benefit from clearer signals delivered through satellite and mobile apps powered by NIGCOMSAT technology.
Ebuebu said the upgraded DSO framework is built for modern viewing habits and will use satellite and mobile platforms to reach beyond the pilot cities covered in earlier trials.
“We are going to have 100 channels by the day of launch and even more because more content producers are talking to us,” he said. “We want to create one market and one platform for Nigeria.”
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