Digital Switch-Over to Boost Nigeria’s Creative Economy and Broadband Access

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has revealed that its planned Digital Switch-Over (DSO) project is expected to unlock Nigeria’s N605.2 billion advertising market, creating new revenue opportunities for broadcasters and content creators.

Director-General of the NBC, Charles Ebuebu, disclosed this during a press conference held alongside a media tour of facilities operated by Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT).

According to Ebuebu, the national launch of the Digital Switch-Over is scheduled for 17 June 2026, while the final analogue switch-off has been fixed for 31 December 2028.

What the NBC Is Saying

Ebuebu explained that the DSO initiative will enable government institutions and broadcasters to deliver digital broadcasting services to households across Nigeria through a commercially sustainable and technologically reliable framework.

“The DSO will unlock the N605.2 billion national advertising market through verifiable audience measurement, generating new revenue streams for broadcasters and content creators,” he said.

He further noted that the transition would free up valuable digital dividend spectrum within the 700MHz and 800MHz frequency bands, estimated to be worth more than $1 billion in auction proceeds.

According to him, the revenue generated from the spectrum auctions will be reinvested into digital infrastructure expansion and rural broadband connectivity across Nigeria.

Boost for Nigeria’s Creative Economy

The NBC boss emphasized that Nigeria’s creative industry, which contributes an estimated N5 trillion to GDP and supports over 4.2 million jobs, stands to benefit significantly from the digital broadcasting transition.

He stated that the DSO framework would provide a modern distribution platform capable of supporting content export across West Africa through NigComSat-1R.

Ebuebu also highlighted the affordability of the FreeTV platform under the initiative.

“To ordinary Nigerians, the basic FreeTV service carries no monthly subscription. The dish required is minimal, while the decoder is an open-standard DVB-S2 device freely available on the open market for as little as N15,000–N25,000,” he added.

The Commission urged broadcasters, including members of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and independent stations, to onboard their content to the FreeTV platform and utilize the 18-month free carriage window available under the project.

Set-Top Box Litigation Still Pending

While discussing implementation challenges, Ebuebu acknowledged that the issue involving local set-top box manufacturers remains subject to ongoing litigation.

However, he clarified that the legal dispute does not amount to a blanket injunction preventing the nationwide rollout of the Digital Switch-Over project.

NIGCOMSAT Gives Update on Replacement Satellites

Responding to questions on the planned replacement satellites, Managing Director and CEO of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen, disclosed that NIGCOMSAT 2A is expected to launch in 2028, while NIGCOMSAT 2B is scheduled for 2029.

According to her, the timelines are based on detailed procurement and manufacturing schedules already in place.

She also disclosed that NBC and NIGCOMSAT have secured an interim commercial backup satellite at the same 42.5°E orbital slot to ensure uninterrupted service throughout the transition period.

On concerns regarding dish repointing, Egerton-Idehen assured Nigerians that the agency intends to avoid any scenario requiring households to manually realign their satellite dishes nationwide.

She estimated that migrating five million households could cost between N5 billion and N10 billion, adding that the transition would be implemented gradually through a phased, zone-by-zone rollout to prevent nationwide service disruptions.

Backstory

In 2022, the Federal Government announced that it had cleared outstanding debts owed to service providers participating in the Digital Switch-Over project.

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, stated at the time that the government had resolved to make the DSO initiative private-sector driven to ensure long-term sustainability.

He stressed that the transition process should remain self-sustaining, with no additional subsidies for set-top boxes or signal carriage services.

What You Should Know

The Digital Switch-Over refers to the transition from analogue television broadcasting to digital transmission technology.

The Federal Government had earlier begun implementing the White Paper on the DSO initiative, which seeks to limit Pay-TV operators from self-carrying broadcast signals.

Authorities say the project remains a strategic national priority because it is expected to:

Improve local content development
Create jobs within the media and entertainment sectors
Reduce content monopolies
Expand access to on-demand television services
Improve digital broadcasting quality nationwide
Support broadband and digital infrastructure growth
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