Nigerian government ready for digital switch‑over.

Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris announced that Nigeria’s long‑awaited Digital Switch Over (DSO) project is now fully prepared for a nationwide rollout.

He called the development a significant milestone in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda for the broadcast sector.

The statement was made during a tour of NIGCOMSAT facilities at the Obasanjo Space Centre on Wednesday, in the presence of National Broadcasting Commission Director‑General Charles Ebuebu and NIGCOMSAT Managing Director/CEO Jane Egerton‑Idehen.

Speaking about the project, the Minister said, “I think this is a new dawn for our country. The promise that President Tinubu made to reform all sectors is now being seen in action in the broadcast industry.”

He added that after years of delay, Nigeria is finally poised to complete the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, with the DSO platform scheduled for official commissioning on 17 June 2026.

Regarding the benefits of the new digital ecosystem, the Minister noted, “This is going to bring a lot of advantages to broadcasters, viewers, and advertisers. If you are viewing any particular station, you know who is viewing, what they are watching, and how many people are watching.”

According to him, the new system will deliver accurate audience measurement and analytics, enabling advertisers and broadcasters to make informed programming and investment decisions while improving content delivery to Nigerians.

The Minister also highlighted the broader economic and technological impact of the initiative, stressing that the platform would deepen competition in the industry, expand access to free television services, and enhance viewing quality across Nigeria and Sub‑Saharan Africa.

He said, “The monopoly has been broken. Everybody is going to compete. Content is going to grow, viewership will grow, and Nigeria is now moving from SD to HD broadcasting.”

He added that Nigerians will now enjoy cleaner television signals through satellite and mobile applications powered by NIGCOMSAT technology.

National Broadcasting Commission Director‑General Charles Ebuebu explained that the upgraded DSO framework was designed to align with emerging technologies and modern viewing habits.

He said the new system leverages satellite broadcasting and mobile applications to ensure wider accessibility beyond the pilot cities previously covered under the earlier DSO experiment.

“We’re going to have 100 channels by the day of launch and even more because more content producers are talking to us. We want to create one market and one platform for Nigeria,” he added.

He also highlighted the establishment of regional production studios and multilingual customer support centres across the country.

During the tour, NIGCOMSAT Managing Director/CEO Jane Egerton‑Idehen described the collaboration between NIGCOMSAT and NBC as a strategic partnership that has strengthened service delivery and raised operational standards within Nigeria’s digital broadcasting ecosystem. She said ongoing investments and satellite expansion plans under the current administration will guarantee reliable and continuous service delivery. “The work has only just started. The work has only just begun,” she said.

Other officials who accompanied the Honourable Minister included NTA Director‑General Salihu Abdullahi Dembos, VON Director‑General Jibrin Baba Ndace, FRCN Director‑General Mohammed Bulama, and NOA Director‑General Lanre Issa‑Onilu, along with other senior government officials and dignitaries.