Nigeria Targets 100 Per Cent Digital TV Coverage By 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed plan to ensure the nation achieve 100 per cent digital television coverage by 2016.

Buhari said the nation is expected to experience an upward review from its current status to complete digital transmission.

 

He spoke at the 35th Anniversary of Silverbird in Lagos at the weekend, stressing that his administration would facilitate a vibrant television and media economy in the country.

Buhari said, “As part of providing this requisite environment, this administration will ensure a strict adherence to the plan to reach 100% digital TV penetration in Nigeria by 2016, up from 49% at the end of 2013. In other words, we pledge our commitment to building a vibrant TV and
media economy for the benefit of all Nigerians,”

Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the nation planned to use the digital switch over as an opportunity to diversify television channels and content.

He tasked the organisation to boost production of local content, generate employment for the youths and contribute significantly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to him, sub-Saharan Africa will have 46.46 million primary Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) homes by 2020, that is
37.6 million Free To Air and 8.86 million pay TV, up from 9.27 million at the end of 2013 and 0.53 million at the end of 2010.

“Nigeria will be the largest DTT nation in Africa in 2020, both for Free To Air – that is 9.07 million – and for pay, that is 3.59 million. As Silverbird seeks to deliver exceptional family entertainment to this important growth market, it will need to adjust its models to suit the market conditions to achieve the objective of maximizing the reach of the Silverbird Channel in the Nigerian market,
and that it will have to do through a Free to Air model. The target markets for Free To Air are the 26-million-plus TV households, and the
growth of DTT in Nigeria is accelerating much faster than the growth in the pay-TV market,” the President said.

He said by using the Digital Switch Over (DSO), his administration shall replicate in Nigeria the globally successful Free to Air model, to open up the market to mass numbers of potential viewers.