The Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) director general, Malam Bararabe Shehu Ilelah, has stated that the Commission is committed to completing the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project across the country in a timely and efficient manner because it will create a people-centered information society that will connect underserved populations and remote communities in Nigeria and thus provide inclusion for all.
Malam Ilehah, who spoke at the commencement of the Digital Switch Over in Kano on Tuesday, said NBC is aligned with President Muhammadu Buhari’s mission to democratize information in digital broadcasting, empower people, and create millions of jobs across the value chain.
Mr. Ilelah stated, “Three days ago, 100 craftsmen from 44 local councils were instructed on FreeTV dealership, installation, and activation.”
Kano state residents will benefit, he said, because they will be empowered to take on the task of dealership, installation, and activation of set-top boxes in homes, and those who become dealers will be able to hire more hands to help them, which is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of job creation.
“The key benefits of digital television broadcasting are- wider choice in TV and radio channels, improved picture quality, for example, High Definition (HD) and Ultra High Definition (UHD), high-fidelity sound, greater flexibility with the potential for portable and mobile reception, enhanced information services, including the electronic programming guide,” Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, said at the Kano Digital Switch Over launch.
“We’ve also implemented a number of changes, some of which necessitated amendments to the broadcasting code, which we’ve now implemented, with the goal of stimulating investments in the broadcast business in particular and the creative industry in general,” the Minister of Information stated.
The transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting is known as a digital switchover.
After Lagos in April of this year, Kano is the second state in phase two of the DSO rollout. Plateau state was the first in Nigeria to implement the DSO, while Kaduna, Enugu, Kwara, Osun, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, were among the states that followed the phase one roll out plan.
“I want to utilize this opportunity to push state governments to be at the forefront of providing set-top boxes to their people,” Mohammed continued. “Government will be revolutionized in Kano state, with a population of over 15 million people, if each of the 2.4 million television households can have a set-top box,” he continues, “because the provision of set-top boxes is a social service that will take governance to the grassroots and bridge the information gap between the government and the governed, among other advantages.”
Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, the host governor, said his administration had studied the Digital Switchover and found areas where it might promote digital technology in broadcasting.
The NBC has designated Rivers State in the South South as the next in line to enjoy the new experience in broadcast material consumption that the digital broadcasting technology offers, with the Federal Government determined to achieve a nationwide coverage of the digital switchover.
