The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has announced its intention to boost a nationwide expansion of digital television coverage with the N10bn grant approved by President Bola Tinubu.
The NBC Director General, Charles Ebuebu, announced this during a joint press conference in Abuja on Thursday alongside the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Aminu Maida.
The NBC DG disclosed that while Digital Terrestrial Television services had already been launched in eight states, the new initiative would increase the coverage in every part of the country, using satellite technology.
The funding is part of a larger effort by the Federal Government to reinvigorate the Digital Switch-Over project, which has faced significant challenges since its inception in 2016.
The NBC DG said that the N10bn grant marked the first phase of a wider initiative to elevate the country to a complete digital broadcasting status.
The switch from analogue to digital broadcasting earlier unveiled in Jos has suffered diverse hiccups, but the recent financial backing is targeted at overcoming the obstacles and propelling the nationwide rollout.
“What we presently have is the DTT, the Terrestrial Broadcast where you have broadcast stations around the country. We have launched in eight states already, and they are up and running, even with some challenges. But now, we are going to have satellite coverage that covers the entire nation all at once,” the NBC boss said.
“So no matter where you are in Nigeria, you will be able to receive the channels and the content that will be put on that platform. So the sum given to us by the President for the first phase is N10bn and that is what we are running with to kick-start this process,” he added.
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