The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has reaffirmed that Nigeria’s analogue television signal will not be switched off until December 31, 2028, dismissing reports suggesting the transition would take place in August 2026.
The clarification was made by the Deputy Director and Head of the Digital Switch-Over (DSO) at the NBC, Clementine Usman-Wamba, during the South-West Broadcast Summit and the induction of new members of the Society of Nigerian Broadcasters (SNB).
She explained that the commission found it necessary to correct misinformation circulating online, stressing that the official deadline remains December 2028, giving stakeholders about 30 months from July 2026 to complete the transition.
NBC Director-General Charles Ebuebu had earlier confirmed the timeline, noting that the current phase of the digital switch-over is only the beginning, with additional preparations expected before the final analogue shutdown.
Nigeria officially launched the first phase of its revised digital broadcasting framework on June 17, 2026, under the “Big Picture” strategy, marking a major step in the country’s long-delayed migration from analogue to digital broadcasting.
The digital switch-over project was introduced to meet the International Telecommunication Union’s directive for member countries to migrate to digital terrestrial broadcasting. However, Nigeria missed several earlier deadlines due to funding constraints, infrastructure gaps, logistical challenges and other implementation issues.
As part of the transition, the NBC introduced the FreeTV platform, which provides viewers with access to more than 100 television channels without any monthly subscription fee. The service offers news, sports, entertainment, educational programmes, children’s content and indigenous language channels through both satellite and terrestrial broadcasting.
The commission has also expanded access by launching a FreeTV mobile application for Android and iOS devices, allowing users to stream Nigerian television channels after completing a simple registration process.
Meanwhile, the NBC continues to engage broadcasters and industry stakeholders while supporting efforts to strengthen the Society of Nigerian Broadcasters. A bill currently before the National Assembly seeks to establish the SNB through legislation and regulate professional broadcasting practice in Nigeria.
The commission believes the successful completion of the digital switch-over will boost the country’s advertising industry, improve television audience measurement, create new opportunities for the creative sector and free up valuable telecommunications spectrum for future economic development.
