Nigeria’s DSO speeds up as NBC gets after sales payment for STBs with Korean group
The strategic management intelligence of the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, has received a strong boost following the recent sealing of a deal with a Korean group to facilitate mass production of Set Top Boxes (STBs) with the rare understanding to receive payments after sales.
Giving insights on the activities of the Commission regarding meeting the next deadline of Digital Switch Over (DSO) on the sidelines of the Nigerian Telecom Leadership Summit 2019, held in Lagos on Thursday, Kawu disclosed that “Within few weeks ago, NBC has concluded the digital mapping of the entire federation so as to have a total outlay of all the points and locations we are going to site digital transmission facilities”.
The summit was promoted by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to enable industry stakeholders review performance and challenges in the sector with the aim of drawing fresh roadmap for future growth in the telecoms industry and digital economy process.
According to him, “The mapping covered all major population centres in Nigeria considering the fact that majority of Nigerians now live in urban areas with strong economic interests.
While recalling that “in the past, we started with regional role out by choosing a state per geopolitical zone,” he averred that “With the new digital mapping technology coverage of the nation, “We now have all the major population and economic centres covered”.
“With digital mapping in place, over the next 15 to 25 months, the possibility is that we are going to be able to rollout.
“More significant is that with digital mapping, we will be launching out in key cities including Lagos, Kano, PH and others in that sequence of most important population centre and economic nucleolus across Nigeria.
NBC boss revealed further that “Another great landmark is the fruitful discussion we are having with a South Korean group in the last couple of months which has agreed to power our DSO by coming to put in place an assembly plant that will produce about one million STBs”.
“The plan will deliver STBs that will service the planned rollout across the major economic and population centres across Nigeria with ease.
Also, the boxes will be produced by the companies we have licensed for that purpose here in Nigeria.
“Otherwise, the Korean firm will be giving facilities with payments upfront, which is after the sales of the boxes.
“We welcomed the deal because in the past, the previous deal we had was not working because the Chinese OEMs were insisting that we pay before production while the Korean firm agreed for payment after production and sales,” DG of NBC, Is’haq Modibbo Kawu averred.
