FG Unveils Plan for 100 Free TV Channels Across 40 Million Homes

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has announced a revitalized Digital Switch Over (DSO) initiative, aiming to provide at least 40 million Nigerian households with access to up to 100 free-to-air television channels nationwide. Charles Ebuebu, the Director-General of the NBC, shared this information during an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

Ebuebu explained that the updated DSO strategy now relies on a satellite-based transmission model, moving away from the previous terrestrial system which had limited national reach. He highlighted that this satellite platform would significantly broaden coverage and enhance access to complimentary television services throughout the country. “We are gunning for 40 million TV households. Count 40 million homes at a minimum. That’s what we’re targeting,” Ebuebu stated, adding that the satellite system is designed to offer approximately 100 free-to-air channels across Nigeria.

Recalling the former administration’s efforts, Ebuebu mentioned that the terrestrial model was launched in just eight states and delivered between 24 and 28 channels, depending on the specific location. He elaborated that the initial DSO plan combined terrestrial broadcasting for an estimated 75 to 80 percent national coverage with satellite services for difficult terrains, such as mountainous regions that blocked ground signals. However, after its rollout in eight states, it became apparent that terrestrial broadcasting had only covered less than a quarter of Nigeria, revealing substantial infrastructure and coverage limitations.

According to Ebuebu, achieving full nationwide terrestrial coverage would necessitate around 160 transmission towers, require expensive imported equipment, and take more than three years to complete. These challenges prompted a change in the DSO implementation approach. “We, therefore, decided to go by satellite, which covers Nigeria completely from day one,” he affirmed. The renewed project is already transmitting over 73 channels nationally, with a target of reaching 100 channels in the coming months.

Ebuebu clarified that the NBC maintains its role as the broadcasting regulator, while Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) is responsible for providing the necessary satellite and ground services for the Digital Switch Over. He explained, “We are the regulator of broadcast media in Nigeria, whether radio, TV, online and all of that. NIGCOMSAT, on the other hand, is providing satellite services and ground services for the DSO. They are using their satellite capacity, which covers not just Nigeria but the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, to provide carriage for the DSO.”

He further noted that the satellite transmission enables viewers to access channels from any part of Nigeria, irrespective of their location, providing immediate nationwide reach unlike the tower-dependent terrestrial broadcasting. The NBC boss described the revamped DSO as a “better proposition” due to its offering of more channels, superior picture quality, and expanded access to Nigerian content, ultimately fostering national integration by making regional television channels available across the entire country.