FG Announces Launch Date for Digital Switchover Platform with Over 100 Free Channels
- Nigeria will launch a nationwide digital switchover platform on June 17, with over 100 free television channels
- The federal government says the new DSO system will improve broadcasting quality and audience measurement
- There are plans to launch two additional satellites to strengthen Nigeria’s broadcasting and communication infrastructure
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The federal government of Nigeria is set to launch its digital switchover (DSO) platform on June 17, 2026, featuring over 100 free-to-air channels.
Mohammed Idris, the minister of information and national orientation, disclosed this during a tour of the headquarters of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited on Wednesday, May 13.
He noted that the migration from analogue to digital television broadcasting, which had been in progress for years, has finally been achieved.
Source: Getty Images
Free Digital TV for Nigerians
He also described the project as part of ongoing reforms in the current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
His words:
"The promise that the president has made that he's going to reform every sector, you can see the reform here within the broadcast sector.
"You would recall for many years, Nigerians have been struggling with this concept of the DSO, digital switchover, to change our transmissions from analog to digital, now this has happened and will be commissioned on the 17th of June this year."
The minister further added that this platform will be instrumental in delivering broadcast content of higher quality and ensuring the ,widespread reach of television programs in the country and sub-Saharan Africa.
In his view, the platform will include a built-in audience measurement system that is capable of tracking viewer habits in real-time, allowing broadcasters and advertisers to better ascertain the preferences of the viewers.
Idris stated:
"Now the science is here. If you are watching this station or another station, we are in a position to know exactly who is watching what and how many are watching.
"This will enable advertisers to make better informed decisions in terms of which station is watched, which programme is being watched by which group of people and what exactly Nigerians are watching across the length and breadth of this country."
Idris maintained that the initiative would be mutually beneficial to the broadcaster, the advertiser and the viewer, enabling better competition, enhanced quality of broadcast content, as well as extended reach.
He said the platform would be available in Standard definition initially and would be upgradable to high definition broadcast when launched.
The minister explained:
"Because in the past, the set-top boxes which were given to Nigerians under a previous digital switchover have already been encrypted which really means that you could not necessarily switch any time you want, you were restricted and also that means the cost would be high, now this is absolutely free."
100 channels available
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu, stated that the DSO platform was designed to cater for changes in viewer behaviours as well as adopt new broadcasting technologies.
According to Ebuebu, over 100 channels are available on launch, and additional broadcasters have indicated their interest in subscribing to the platform.
He further added that six regional studios were commissioned across Nigeria to assist content producers in developing and broadcasting from their locations without necessarily travelling to Lagos, Abuja, or Kano.
Source: Getty Images
Ebuebu added that there would be a national multilingual call centre and network of certified installers nationwide to support subscribers of the DSO service.
He added:
"Ultimately, we are going to create the market for Nigeria. We are having one market for Nigeria."
Meanwhile, Jane Egerton-Idehen says NigComSat is committed to ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of this service and enhancing Nigeria's satellite capacity in general.
She revealed that the organisation would soon launch two more satellites once President Tinubu approves the launch.
MultiChoice deal for DStv subscribers ahead of World Cup
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that MultiChoice Group has announced that all 104 matches of the expanded FIFA World Cup 2026 will be broadcast live on SuperSport platforms across English and Portuguese-speaking African countries.
The pay-TV company, in a statement released on its website recently, said the matches would be available to subscribers on DStv, DStv Stream, GOtv and GOtv Stream from June 11 to July 19, 2026, on Supersport channels.
Source: Legit.ng
