More details have continued to emerge following last Thursday’s activation of Digital Switch Over (DSO) at the nation’s capital city of Abuja.
As part of consolidated efforts to grow the digitization of TV experience in Nigeria after the successful transition from analogue to terrestrial TV services, federal government has announced the Digital Access Fund (DAF), to provide facility for content developers and avail local and states governments access to funds for growth of the sub sector.
Explaining the new development during the launch of the Abuja DSO, Director General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mallam Is’haq Modibbo Kawu said “There is a rich possibility opening up for Nollywood to offer access to the rich repertoire of Nigerian films, expected to sweep the carpets from the feet of pirates, thus bringing more funds to help develop Nigeria’s film industry, the third largest on earth. In the new digital ecosystem, seventy percent of content on 24-hour television would be local.
“This offers jobs opportunities as well as wealth creation for Nigeria’s very creative young through the entire broadcasting value chain. The introduction of a Digital Access Fund (DAF), would become platform to help collect television licenses in Nigeria, thus present opportunities for local governments around Nigeria to get funds that can aid the development of the grassroots.
Continuing, he said “The most important point that we must all ruminate over, is that we have a timeline of June 2017, to complete a nation-wide digital switchover. That presents a huge logistic and financial challenge during the current economic climate in the country”.
“Our plan for success is to involve the Nigerian Governors’ Forum in the next phase of the switch on. In the next few months, we plan to switch on six states, chosen from each of Nigeria’s geo-political zones.
“We then envisage a domino-like effect, that will bring other states within the loop, in a race to meet the June 2017 deadline set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), for member countries in the ECOWAS sub-region.
“There are challenging but exciting days, weeks and months ahead, for Nigeria’s digital switch on. I will like to assure Your Excellency and our distinguished invitees, that at the National Broadcasting Commission, we will give our very best, to drive this historic process to a successful conclusion.
He further called for more support from the presidency and members of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and all other critical stakeholders for Nigerian digital switchover.
