Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to officially launch a nationwide Digital Switch Over (DSO) platform on June 17, offering Nigerians free access to more than 100 television channels.
The announcement was made by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris during a visit to NIGCOMSAT alongside the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu, and other stakeholders.
Idris described the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting as a major milestone after years of delays and unsuccessful attempts to implement the project nationwide.
According to the minister, the new digital platform will provide improved picture quality, wider content distribution, and advanced audience measurement technology capable of tracking viewership patterns in real time.
He explained that the audience tracking system would allow advertisers to better understand viewing habits and make more informed decisions about the type of content Nigerians prefer across different demographics.
The minister credited the collaboration between NIGCOMSAT, NBC, the Ministry of Communications, and the Ministry of Information for making the project possible, while also acknowledging the support of Bola Tinubu.
Idris said previous DSO initiatives faced challenges due to the cost and limitations of encrypted set-top boxes, but noted that the new system would be free and accessible to millions of Nigerians.
He added that the platform would launch initially in standard definition before transitioning to high definition broadcasting shortly after rollout, bringing Nigeria’s television industry closer to global digital standards.
The minister also revealed that the service has already undergone successful testing and is currently accessible through a mobile application ahead of the official launch.
