The Federal Government has set December 2028 as the deadline for the final transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting in Nigeria.
Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Charles Ebuebu, announced the timeline in Abuja, describing it as the first stage of a broader broadcasting transformation.
According to Ebuebu, future phases of the programme will focus on pay television services, studio development, and the creation of dedicated production centres for content creators.
He added that the commission is also advancing its audience measurement project, having completed a proof-of-concept in about 7,000 households in Lagos, while implementation has already begun in Abuja.
The NBC said detailed timelines for the remaining phases will be released after consultations with industry stakeholders, including the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON).
The analogue switch-off is expected to free up valuable radio spectrum for other digital services, including telecommunications, financial technology, and emerging digital applications.
Ebuebu described the spectrum as a strategic national asset valued at more than $50 billion, stating that consultants will determine its market value before it is allocated for commercial use.
The commission is also developing a policy to manage obsolete analogue broadcasting equipment. Under Nigeria’s Digital Switch Over framework, broadcasters are expected to focus on content production, while licensed signal distributors, including NIGCOMSAT, handle transmission.
According to the NBC, reusable equipment will be repurposed where possible, while obsolete assets may be transferred to the government for safe disposal to minimise environmental risks.
