The Federal Government has launched FreeTV, a new digital television platform aimed at expanding access to quality broadcasting and accelerating Nigeria’s transition to digital television.Unveiled on June 17 as part of the country’s Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme, the platform will provide households with access to more than 100 television channels without monthly subscription fees. Available content will include news, sports, movies, music, educational programmes, children’s shows and indigenous language channels.
The government said the service will reach both urban and rural communities through satellite and terrestrial transmission, as well as the FreeTV mobile application. Existing television sets can be used with compatible DVB-T2 or DVB-S2 decoders, while some households with free-to-air decoders may already be equipped to access the service.
According to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the initiative is part of efforts to promote digital inclusion and ensure wider access to technology-driven services regardless of location or income level. Officials also said the platform is expected to stimulate local content production and generate employment opportunities within the broadcasting and creative sectors. Regional production centres in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin will serve as content development hubs, creating opportunities for media professionals including producers, editors, camera operators, sound engineers and technicians.
The launch represents another major step in Nigeria’s migration from analogue to digital broadcasting, with the nationwide analogue switch-off still scheduled for December 31, 2028.Authorities have encouraged Nigerians to check the compatibility of their decoders and take advantage of the new platform as the country moves closer to a fully digital broadcasting ecosystem.
Source: https://guardian.ng/
