Chairman of the Affiliation of Licensed Set-top Field Producers of Nigeria, Godfrey Ohabunwa, has accused the Nationwide Broadcasting Fee (NBC) of derailing Nigeria’s long-delayed digital switchover programme, saying regulatory inconsistency and deviation from authorized authorities coverage are accountable for the 17-year delay.
Talking in an interview with ARISE Information on Friday, Ohabunwa mentioned the Nigerian Digital Switchover White Paper, authorized by the Federal Authorities in 2015 after years of committee deliberations, clearly laid out the implementation framework, but NBC has didn’t observe it.
“The delay is due to One: Inconsistency in coverage. Two: Individuals who handle the DSO program most likely don’t or haven’t learn the doc. Three: Some egocentric ambition,” he mentioned.
In line with him, the Federal Authorities fulfilled its duties by approving coverage, licensing operators, and investing closely in infrastructure, however NBC, as regulator and custodian of the programme, has continued to undermine progress.
Ohabunwa defined that the DSO coverage was designed emigrate Nigeria from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting consistent with Worldwide Telecommunication Union requirements, releasing spectrum house for broadband and bettering broadcast effectivity.
He famous that between 2016 and 2018, the programme recorded measurable progress, with eight states switched on, transmission firms deploying infrastructure nationwide, and producers investing thousands and thousands in decoder production.
Nonetheless, he mentioned the method stalled as a result of NBC has refused to change off analogue transmission, making full implementation not possible regardless of billions already invested.
“However since then to at present, NBC has refused to change off the analog. Thereby making it tough for the complete implementation of the DSO,” he acknowledged.
Ohabunwa additionally criticised NBC’s reported determination to desert Digital Terrestrial Tv (DTT) in favour of Direct-to-Dwelling (DTH) satellite tv for pc broadcasting, arguing that such a shift contradicts the unique government-approved framework.
He pressured that DTH will not be new know-how in Nigeria, declaring that suppliers like MultiChoice, GOtv, and StarTimes have operated satellite tv for pc tv providers for years, making NBC’s new path pointless and disruptive.
“What NBC is doing negates the Federal Authorities coverage,” he mentioned.
He warned that abandoning DTT would render over 250,000 manufactured set-top packing containers price greater than $10 million ineffective, whereas additionally jeopardising loans, infrastructure investments, and authorities spending estimated at over ₦60 billion.
Ohabunwa concluded by urging the Federal Authorities to compel NBC to return to the authorized White Paper and implement the unique digital switchover roadmap, insisting that regulators should not override established nationwide coverage.
By Triumph Ojo
Times Nigeria