The federal government will launch FreeTV, a national digital television platform, on June 17 as part of efforts to expand access to digital broadcasting across the country.
In a statement on Tuesday, the government said the platform
would provide Nigerians with free access to more than 100 national, regional
and state television channels without monthly subscription charges.
According to the federal government, the initiative is part
of Nigeria’s Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme and aligns with “President
Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises digital inclusion, job
creation and access to opportunities”.
FreeTV will offer a range of programming, including news,
sports, movies, music, children’s content, educational programmes, and
dedicated Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo language channels.
The service will be accessible through satellite and
terrestrial transmission, as well as the FreeTV mobile application, enabling
users in urban and rural communities to access digital television services.
The government said Nigerians would not need to purchase new
television sets to access the platform, provided they have compatible DVB-T2 or
DVB-S2 decoders.
Households already using compatible free-to-air decoders may
not need additional equipment.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Charles Ebuebu,
director-general of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), said the
platform would improve access to digital content while creating opportunities
for local creatives and media professionals.
“FreeTV speaks directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s
vision of Renewed Hope towards expanding access, creating opportunity and
ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location or income, can benefit
from the digital economy,” Ebuebu said.
“With FreeTV, families across Nigeria can enjoy quality
digital television without a monthly subscription, while our local content
producers, technicians and young creatives gain new platforms and new jobs.”
The NBC said the platform would also support Nigeria’s
creative economy through regional production studios in Lagos, Abuja, Port
Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin.
The studios are expected to create opportunities for content
creators, editors, camera operators, sound engineers, technicians and other
professionals within the broadcast value chain.
The commission added that Nigeria’s final analogue
switch-off remains scheduled for December 31, 2028, and encouraged citizens to
confirm decoder compatibility and download the FreeTV mobile application ahead
of the rollout.
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