Nigeria activates first analogue switch off as DSO begins May 2021 ─Minister

*The Federal Government says no state of the Federation will be left out in the Digital Switchover project, as it announced that following the release of DSO rollout timetable Thursday, television broadcast can only be received with the DSO-approved Set-Top Boxes in Abuja region after May 28

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In relation to the much expected Digital Switchover (DSO) rollout in the country, the Federal Government has announced to Nigerian content consumers, that the first Analogue Switch off (ASO) takes place May 28, 2021, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

ConsumerConnect gathered Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, Acting Director-General National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), on the occasion of the release of rollout time table for the Nigeria Digital Switchover (DSO) Thursday, March 11, in Abuja, said effective from the date of ASO, television broadcast can only be received with the DSO approved Set-Top Boxes in the region.

Digital Switchover in Nigeria

The Acting NBC Director-General stated that an adequate quantity of these boxes would be made available by the authorised set top box manufacturers for these locations.

Two months from the release of the DSO timetable has been provided for the public to be prepared for the first switch-off in Abuja, he noted.

Idachaba explained that “analogue switch off for the remaining five locations in phase one is expected to be completed before the end of the year 2021.

“The remaining phase one states of Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara, Enugu and Osun will follow in June, August and September 2021,” he said.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Honourable Minister for Information and Culture, in his remarks on the occasion, recalled that he inaugurated the 14-member Ministerial Task Force on the Digital Switchover (DSO).

According to the Minister, the Federal Government will also support the channel owners and content providers through the implementation of the audience measurement system to guarantee a sustained stream of revenue from advertising for them to invest in the development of compelling content.

Mohammed assured consumers that no state would be left out of the Digital Switchover in the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting in the country.

The Minister, who is the Chairman of the Ministerial Task Force overseeing the successful completion of the project, said a time-table had been approved for the first phase of the rollout as well as the analogue switch off.

“Before we embark on the analogue switch off in any state, we will ensure that the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) signal has covered at least 70 percent of the population in that state.

Mohammed stated: “In this regard, the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) has been directed to implement key policies to guarantee the advertising income of media houses by creating a healthy environment for the media outfits to operate.

“Very soon, APCON and NBC will sign an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) on zero advertising debts to ensure that revenue from advertisers goes to the media owners.”

On the price of the Set Top Boxes, or decoders, without which no one can access the DTT and DTH signals, the Minister said to ensure the affordability of the boxes, the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture will reach out to the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to ensure a reduction in the tariff on the raw materials for the manufacture of the Set Top Boxes in Nigeria.

He said it would aim at zero percent tariff for the Completely Knocked Down components and not more than 5 percent tariff for the Semi-Knocked Down component, against the current tariff of 5 percent for the Completely Knocked Down components and 10 percent for the Semi-Knocked Down components.

He added: “By doing so, we will ensure that the Set Top boxes are within the reach of average Nigerians.”