A prominent public affairs analyst and businessman, Godfrey Ohuabunwa, has expressed grave concerns over the National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC) planned transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, set for 2027. He warns that this move, if mishandled, could lead to a national crisis, especially as the country prepares for a crucial general election.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ohuabunwa highlighted that the current approach adopted by the NBC appears hurried, lacking clarity and inconsistent with the 2012 Digital Switchover (DSO) White Paper that had been approved by the Federal Executive Council. He stressed that the so-called transition is merely an aggregation of channels on NigComSat platforms, not a comprehensive Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) migration as originally envisioned under Nigeria’s DSO framework.
Ohuabunwa, who also serves as chairman of the Association of Licensed Set-Top Box Manufacturers of Nigeria, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step in and prevent the confusion being generated by the NBC. He urged, “Mr President, Nigeria cannot afford chaos in its broadcasting system at a time the nation is gearing up for another critical democratic transition. The moment to act is now.”
It will be recalled that the NBC had previously announced 2027 as the deadline for the full migration from analog to digital broadcasting.