The Federal Government (FG) has confirmed that Nigeria’s long-awaited Digital Switch Over (DSO) project is ready for nationwide deployment.
This brings years of delays to an end and ushers in a new phase for the country’s broadcasting sector.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced June 17 as the official commissioning date.
He said this during a detailed inspection visit to the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) facility at the Obasanjo Space Centre yesterday.
He was joined by the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Charles Ebuebu, and the Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen.
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The Minister described the development as a key milestone in President Bola Tinubu’s broader reform agenda.
Mr Idris said the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting would open up the media space, break long-standing dominance in the sector, and encourage healthier competition.
He explained that the upgrade would bring several improvements, including a move from Standard Definition (SD) to High Definition (HD) broadcasting and more accurate data on viewership trends to guide advertisers and broadcasters.
Framework
Also included is a stronger signal distribution through satellite and mobile platforms, extending coverage across Nigeria and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.
“The monopoly has been broken,” the minister said.
“Content will expand, viewership will grow, and Nigeria is moving from SD to HD broadcasting.”
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The NBC Director-General, Charles Ebuebu, said the upgraded DSO framework has been designed to reflect modern viewing habits and support emerging technologies.
He disclosed that the platform is expected to launch with at least 100 channels, with further expansion anticipated as more content creators join the system.
To support the rollout, government plans include the establishment of regional production centres to decentralise content creation, multilingual support hubs to assist viewers across the country and a “one market, one platform” structure to unify Nigeria’s digital broadcasting space.
Collaboration
The Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen, highlighted the importance of collaboration between NIGCOMSAT and the NBC in strengthening the system’s technical backbone.
She said ongoing investments in satellite infrastructure under the current administration would ensure more stable and reliable broadcasting services nationwide.
“The work has only just begun,” she said, stressing the long-term sustainability of the project.
The announcement was attended by Salihu Dembos, Director-General, NTA, Jibrin Ndace, Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mohammed Bulama, Director-General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA).
