The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has announced a major reset of Nigeria’s long-delayed digital broadcasting transition, unveiling a new free-to-air national platform known as FreeTV, backed by satellite and internet-based delivery.
Speaking at the 81st General Assembly of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) on Wednesday, NBC Director-General Charles Ebuebu acknowledged the shortcomings of previous efforts, revealing that more than ₦60 billion spent over 17 years has yielded limited results. According to him, digital signals currently reach only eight states, while the industry continues to struggle with the absence of reliable audience measurement and sustainable revenue streams.
Ebuebu said the new FreeTV initiative is designed to correct past failures and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to digital broadcasting. The platform is scheduled to launch on 15 May 2026, offering more than 100 high-definition channels with nationwide coverage and no encryption, allowing viewers free access without subscription.
To encourage participation, the NBC announced that qualifying broadcasters will enjoy 18 months of free carriage on the platform, provided they meet a minimum 60 percent local content requirement and actively promote FreeTV to audiences.
In a move aimed at strengthening transparency and monetisation, the commission also introduced a new audience measurement system powered by GARB Bulgaria, a firm with nearly two decades of experience in European markets. The system is expected to deliver verifiable viewership data for the first time in Nigeria’s broadcasting history.
Further supporting the initiative, the NBC disclosed plans to establish six regional production hubs in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, and Benin. The facilities are expected to create thousands of jobs while boosting the production and distribution of indigenous content across the country.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to completing Nigeria’s digital switchover, setting 31 December 2028 as the final deadline for analogue switch-off.
Addressing industry stakeholders, Ebuebu emphasized that the success of the new platform depends on collective responsibility. He described the initiative not as optional participation but as a shared investment in the future of Nigerian broadcasting.
“We faced these challenges together. Now we will fix it together,” he said.
Background
Digital Switchover (DSO), also known as analogue switch-off, is the global transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting. The shift allows for improved picture and sound quality, increased channel capacity, and more efficient use of spectrum.
While many developed countries completed the transition over a decade ago, several African nations, including Nigeria, have faced delays due to infrastructure gaps, funding constraints, and policy inconsistencies.
Nigeria’s DSO journey began in the mid-2000s but missed its original 2015 target. Recent efforts to revive the programme have been aligned with the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with renewed focus on expanding access, boosting local content, and unlocking economic opportunities in the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors.
The launch of FreeTV is now seen as a critical step toward finally delivering on those long-standing ambitions.
