President Bola Tinubu has approved a N10 billion grant to advance Nigeria’s digital switchover (DSO), a significant project aimed at transitioning from analogue to digital television broadcasting.
The DSO, which began under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, is seen as a key step in enhancing the country’s broadcasting capabilities and integrating more Nigerians into the digital economy.
The announcement was made on Thursday by Charles Ebuebu, Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), during a press conference in Abuja.
Ebuebu emphasized that this grant is intended to build upon the progress made so far in the DSO project.
“We are not starting all over. We are enhancing what we had in a different mode. The president has magnanimously given us the sum of N10 billion to kickstart this process,” Ebuebu stated.
He described the grant as more than just a financial allocation, but a reflection of President Tinubu’s commitment to technological advancement, economic growth, and cultural enrichment through the DSO initiative.
“This intervention is a testament to the visionary leadership of the President. It is a commitment to achieving a future where every Nigerian, regardless of their location, has access to superior broadband services and is included in the digital economy,” Ebuebu added.
The grant will be used to develop television channels, establish nationwide satellite coverage, create audience measurement tools to provide broadcasters with viewership data, and set up content production studios.
In his remarks, Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chair of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), reaffirmed the NCC’s commitment to working closely with the NBC to ensure the success of the digital switchover project.
This collaboration, Maida noted, underscores a strategic alliance aimed at ensuring a seamless transition to digital broadcasting across Nigeria.