2027 Polls: STB Manufacturers Warn Tinubu About an Imminent Broadcasting Crisis

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Association of Licensed Set‑Top Box Manufacturers of Nigeria (STBMAN) has warned that the National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC) planned shift from analogue to digital broadcasting could create confusion, legal disputes and disruptions that might undermine the credibility of the 2027 general election if not handled properly.

In a statement released yesterday in Abuja, STBMAN Chairman Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene immediately and halt what the association described as a unilateral implementation process, insisting that broader consultations with stakeholders in the broadcasting industry are essential.

While the association supports Nigeria’s digital migration programme, it argues that the current approach pursued by the NBC appears rushed and inconsistent with the 2012 Digital Switchover (DSO) White Paper approved by the Federal Executive Council.

STBMAN contended that the so‑called Digital Switchover being promoted is essentially an aggregation of channels on NigComSat platforms, rather than a full Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) migration as originally envisaged under the national DSO framework.

The group warned that excluding critical stakeholders could erode public confidence, weaken access to information and lead to avoidable disruptions in the broadcasting sector at a politically sensitive time before the 2027 elections.

It noted that millions of Nigerians still rely on free‑to‑air broadcasting for information dissemination, civic education, election coverage and public enlightenment.

The association stressed that a poorly coordinated migration could result in signal disruptions, public confusion and unequal access to information during the election season.

STBMAN also expressed concern that the NBC risks a conflict of interest by acting simultaneously as regulator and content aggregator, which it says runs counter to the 2012 White Paper and global best practices for digital broadcasting migration.

Consequently, the association called for an urgent national stakeholders’ roundtable, an independent legal and technical review of the DSO process, a review and update of the 2012 DSO White Paper, nationwide public sensitisation on the implications of digital migration, and measures to protect local broadcasting and the public interest.

It maintained that it is not opposed to digital migration but insists that the process must be transparent, inclusive, lawful and technically sound.

The group warned that failing to manage the transition properly could weaken democratic communication structures, waste public resources and harm national cohesion and the credibility of the 2027 elections.

“Mr. President, Nigeria cannot afford confusion in its broadcasting system at a time the nation is preparing for another critical democratic transition. The time to act is now,” the statement added.