May 13, (THEWILL) — The Federal Government has announced that Nigeria’s long-awaited Digital Switch Over (DSO) project will officially launch nationwide on June 17, 2026, with at least 100 television channels expected to be available at take-off, marking a major breakthrough in the country’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Wednesday during an inspection tour of facilities at NIGCOMSAT, located at the Obasanjo Space Centre, alongside the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu, and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen.
The development signals the formal commencement of Nigeria’s migration from analogue television broadcasting to a modern digital broadcasting ecosystem designed to improve signal quality, widen access to free television services, enhance competition and expand opportunities for content creators, broadcasters and advertisers.
Speaking during the tour, Idris described the DSO rollout as a landmark achievement under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that the initiative aligns with the government’s broader reform agenda across 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 stated.
He stated that after several years of delays and failed implementation attempts, the Federal Government had successfully completed arrangements for the nationwide launch of the upgraded DSO platform.
According to the Minister, the new digital broadcasting ecosystem would deliver multiple economic and technological benefits by enabling accurate audience measurement, improved content distribution and better advertising analytics.
“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”, Idris said.
He explained that the platform would provide broadcasters and advertisers with real-time audience data that would support informed investment and programming decisions while also improving content quality for viewers.
The Minister further noted that the DSO initiative would dismantle monopolistic structures within the industry and create a more competitive media environment capable of driving innovation and rapid sectoral growth.
“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.
Idris added that Nigerians would enjoy clearer television signals delivered through satellite technology and mobile applications powered by NIGCOMSAT infrastructure, with improved coverage expected across Nigeria and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Also speaking, Ebuebu said the upgraded DSO framework had been designed to reflect emerging technological realities and evolving viewing habits among Nigerians.
He disclosed that the new platform would provide nationwide accessibility through satellite broadcasting and mobile applications, unlike the earlier DSO pilot phases which were limited to selected cities.
“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”, Ebuebu stated.
The NBC Director-General also revealed that regional production studios and multilingual customer support centres had been established across the country to ensure seamless implementation and improved user experience.
On her part, Egerton-Idehen described the collaboration between NIGCOMSAT and the NBC as a strategic partnership that had strengthened operational efficiency and improved service delivery within Nigeria’s digital broadcasting sector.
According to her, ongoing satellite expansion projects and infrastructure investments under the current administration would guarantee reliable and uninterrupted service delivery nationwide.
“The work has only just started. The work has only just begun”, she said.
Among senior government officials who accompanied the Minister on the facility tour were 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, alongside other dignitaries and senior government officials.
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