The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) says all broadcast stations owing the Federal Government over 5 billion Naira, due licensing fees will be shut down by March 31, 2017 if they are unable to pay the full amount by that date.
The NBC Director-General, Ishaq Modibbo Kawu says more than 54 broadcast licenses have been revoked since 2015 and that the number of revocations will rise as new applicants for broadcast licenses replace indebted broadcasters.
According to him, “There are those who used political connections with the top-most political leadership in Nigeria in the past to get illegal and undue favours that ran contrary to the NBC act and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“It’s a different period in our country. Nobody will go up to Aso Villa and get some black market deal anymore.
“We gave a timeline of March 15 2017 for all stations owing outstanding licensing fees to effect payment.
“After consultations, that timeline is being extended to March 31st 2017.
“We are not unreasonable, we can look at what the problems are but you have to pay the money.”
He added that for some organisations, licenses had expired as far back as 2015, meanwhile according to him, six months to the expiration of the license, the station is expected to inform the NBC that they are willing to continue as a licencee of the NBC.
Rather than doing so, the NBC boss said they did not bother to inform the commission and instead, told them how much they wanted to pay.
“We are going to close down those stations the day after March 31st,” he stressed.
