Nigeria Ready for June 17 Digital Switch Over Launch, Says Information Minister
Oru Leonard
Nigeria’s long-awaited transition from analogue to digital broadcasting is set for nationwide rollout on June 17, 2026, as the Federal Government says preparations for the Digital Switch Over (DSO) project have been completed.
The Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this during an inspection tour of facilities at NIGCOMSAT located at the Obasanjo Space Centre on Wednesday.
The Minister, who toured the facility alongside the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen, described the development as a major breakthrough for Nigeria’s broadcasting industry.
According to him, the launch marks a significant step in the reform agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aimed at modernising key sectors of the economy.
“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,” the Minister said.
He noted that after years of delays, Nigeria is finally positioned to complete its transition to digital broadcasting, adding that the new DSO platform would deliver major benefits for broadcasters, advertisers and television audiences nationwide.
Mohammed Idris explained that the upgraded digital ecosystem would provide audience measurement and analytics capable of showing viewership patterns, programme preferences and audience reach in real time, thereby helping broadcasters and advertisers make informed decisions.
He added that the project would also expand access to free television services, improve viewing quality and stimulate competition within the industry.
“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 said.
The Minister further stated that Nigerians would enjoy cleaner television signals through satellite and mobile applications powered by NIGCOMSAT technology, with coverage extending across Nigeria and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Speaking during the tour, NBC Director-General, Charles Ebuebu, said the upgraded DSO framework was designed to align with emerging technologies and modern viewing habits.
He disclosed that the platform would feature about 100 channels at launch, with more content providers expected to join subsequently.
“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 said.
Ebuebu also revealed plans for regional production studios and multilingual customer support centres across the country to enhance service accessibility
On her part, Jane Egerton-Idehen described the partnership between NBC and NIGCOMSAT as strategic, noting that investments in satellite infrastructure and expansion plans under the current administration would ensure reliable service delivery.
“The work has only just started. The work has only just begun,” she stated.
Other top government officials present during the inspection included the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, Salihu Abdullahi Dembos; Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Jibrin Baba Ndace; Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Mohammed Bulama; and Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, among other senior government officials.
Cover Photo Caption, L–R: Director-General, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Ali M. Ali; Director-General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Dr. Mohammed Bulama; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), Mrs. Nkechi Jane Egerton-Idehen; Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu; the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, fnipr; Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Charles Ebuebu; Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Comr. Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos, fnipr; and Director-General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, during the Honourable Minister’s facility tour of NIGCOMSAT on May 13, 2026, in Abuja. Photo: Khalid Ahmed/FMINO
