Amanze Chinonye
A concerned industry stakeholder, Ladi Yakubu, has raised fresh concerns over the Federal Government’s proposed June 17, 2026 Digital Switch Over (DSO), warning that the planned migration to a satellite-based broadcasting system could trigger nationwide technical, legal and commercial crises if critical gaps are not urgently addressed.
In a detailed letter addressed to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, with copies sent to the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Dr. Charles Ebuebu, and the Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, Yakubu questioned the long-term viability of the government’s “Big Picture” satellite initiative.
The stakeholder argued that the Federal Government’s shift from Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) to a Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite delivery model, though conceptually capable of achieving nationwide coverage, is being pursued without adequate clarity on infrastructure continuity, hardware supply chains and commercial sustainability.
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Central to the concerns is the operational lifespan of NigComSat-1R, the satellite expected to host the new broadcasting architecture. Yakubu noted that the satellite, commissioned in 2011 with a projected 15-year lifespan, is expected to reach fuel exhaustion by late 2026, barely months after the planned DSO rollout.
According to the letter, once the satellite exhausts its fuel reserves, it would no longer maintain its designated orbital slot at 42.5°E, potentially leading to signal disruptions and eventual deorbiting.
Yakubu further argued that replacement satellites, NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B, are not expected until 2028 and 2029 respectively, thereby creating what he described as a “guaranteed sovereign broadcasting capability gap” of between two and three years.
The letter also questioned the credibility of the replacement programme, citing concerns over reported delays and failures involving international satellite manufacturing partners.
He warned that any temporary migration to third-party commercial satellites could trigger nationwide service outages, as millions of satellite dishes already aligned to NigComSat-1R would require physical realignment to new orbital positions.
“Every single television screen utilizing the FreeTV DTH service across the federation will simultaneously go black,” the letter stated, warning that the cost of manually repointing dishes across five million households could exceed N100 billion.
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Beyond infrastructure concerns, Yakubu raised alarm over the availability of Set-Top Boxes (STBs), arguing that Nigeria would require more than 30 million units to support the new satellite-based transition.
He noted that manufacturers licensed under the Set Top Box Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (STBMAN) are currently locked in litigation with the NBC over importation and procurement issues.
The stakeholder warned that large-scale importation of decoders would undermine the Federal Government’s “Nigeria First” local manufacturing policy and threaten domestic jobs and investments.
He also questioned how the government intends to support low-income Nigerians, pointing out that accessing the proposed satellite platform could cost households up to N80,000 for decoders, dishes, cables and installation an amount exceeding the country’s minimum wage.
According to him, the original terrestrial DSO framework would cost significantly less for consumers.
Yakubu additionally queried the fate of existing analogue terrestrial television stations operated by state governments and private broadcasters across the country, warning that millions of poor Nigerians still depend on analogue signals for television access.
On the commercial side, the stakeholder challenged the ownership structure of the FreeTV platform and raised doubts over the credibility of the audience measurement system promoted by the NBC.
He argued that the Government Audience Rating Bureau (GARB) system relies heavily on internet-enabled return-path data, which may exclude millions of rural viewers lacking broadband access.
According to him, such limitations could distort audience analytics, skew advertising metrics toward affluent urban audiences and undermine the viability of Nigeria’s television advertising market.
Yakubu maintained that while the Federal Government’s determination to finally execute the DSO after years of delays was commendable, the current rollout strategy risked creating “a fragmented, legally embattled and temporarily dark digital void” if unresolved technical and regulatory issues persist.
“The ultimate success of this generation-defining technological transition will not be judged by the ceremonial pomp of the June commissioning, but by the systemic resilience of the network when the engines of NigComSat-1R inevitably fall silent,” the letter concluded.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
