The Federal Government of Nigeria has express its absolute commitment to meeting the deadline for the digital switchover of the broadcast system from analogue transmission after an initial attempt failed.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, told reporters in Jos, Plateau State, that the new deadline of June 2017 should be vigorously pursued by ensuring that the country broadcast system was fully digitised with all assistance provided to all relevant agencies in actualising the new date.
The new date set is a rekindling of hope for the switchover from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting in Nigeria after an initial deadline of June 2015 failed.
In fulfilment of the new deadline, the Federal Government assured relevant agencies that it would provide all necessary assistance in ensuring that Nigeria complied with the international telecommunications unions’ directives of digitising the broadcast industry.
In Jos, the Minister inspected equipment and facility for the digital switchover as well as interacted with technical consultants for the project and manufacturers of set top boxes.
The Minister after inspecting the transmitter also had the opportunity of witnessing the demonstration of how the set top box functions and the utilities provided by the equipment.
Some of the technical partners as well as the chairman of the Set Top Box Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, Godfrey Ohuabunwa, explained what the digital switch over entailed including the functions of the set top boxes.
With the new deadline of June 2017 set by the government for the digital switchover, it is believed that all necessary steps would be taken to achieve this new deadline and Nigeria would join other African countries of Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique and Rwanda in the digital terrestrial broadcasting.