The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), on Friday commence a technical and sensitisation training programme for installers of set-top boxes and related reception equipment.

The training is part of efforts to accelerate Nigeria’s transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting.

The training, scheduled to hold at the NBC Zonal Office in Ibadan, Oyo State, is expected to bring together more than 50 technicians and installers drawn from states across the South-West geopolitical zone.

The Head of the Digital Switchover (DSO) Unit and Deputy Director of Public Affairs at the NBC, Clementine Usman-Wamba, said the exercise marks the first in a series of capacity-building programmes designed to ensure the smooth implementation of Nigeria’s renewed digital migration strategy.

According to Usman-Wamba, the training is intended to equip installers with the technical knowledge required to deploy and maintain the new generation of digital television reception systems being introduced under the government’s revised DSO framework.

She noted that Nigeria’s digital switchover programme, which seeks to replace analogue terrestrial television broadcasting with digital transmission, has experienced multiple delays since the country adopted the policy in 2008 following a 2006 directive by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Usman-Wamba recalled that although the ITU set June 2015 as the deadline for member countries to complete the transition, Nigeria missed the target and subsequent deadlines due to funding constraints, policy inconsistencies, infrastructure deficits and logistical challenges.

She explained that while pilot rollouts were conducted in Plateau, Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Kwara, Osun, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory, nationwide implementation remained elusive.

According to her, the Federal Government adopted a fresh approach after years of delays and public investments estimated at more than N60 billion failed to deliver the desired nationwide migration.

Usman-Wamba said NBC and NIGCOMSAT subsequently unveiled a renewed strategy in 2025 under the initiative known as “The Big Picture,” which was formally launched nationwide on June 17, 2026.

She added that the government has fixed December 31, 2028, as the deadline for the final switch-off of analogue television broadcasting across the country.

Explaining the new model, Usman-Wamba said Nigeria has adopted a hybrid broadcasting framework that combines Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite transmission through NIGCOMSAT-1R and Internet Protocol (IP)-based content distribution.

According to her, the satellite-first approach leverages Nigeria’s sovereign satellite infrastructure to reduce dependence on costly transmission towers, accelerate deployment and provide near-instant nationwide coverage.

She said the FreeTV platform, built on open-standard DVB-S2 technology, is designed to deliver up to 100 free-to-air digital television channels with improved picture and sound quality to an estimated 40 million television households nationwide.

Usman-Wamba further explained that Nigeria has adopted the DVB-T2 transmission standard with MPEG-4 AVC compression technology for terrestrial broadcasting, enabling the transmission of up to 20 channels on a single frequency and making more efficient use of available spectrum.

She noted that consumers can access the service through DVB-S2-compatible set-top boxes, currently available at prices ranging from N15,000 to N25,000, or through smart television sets equipped with certified DVB-T2 digital tuners.

According to Usman-Wamba, the Ibadan training became necessary because installers must now be proficient in terrestrial antenna alignment, satellite dish positioning and the installation of hybrid devices capable of receiving both terrestrial and satellite signals.

She stressed that the new digital ecosystem differs significantly from the previous analogue configuration and earlier terrestrial-only pilot projects, making installer sensitisation critical to reducing user errors and service disruptions.

Usman-Wamba said the training would help ensure that end-users, particularly those in rural and underserved communities, can seamlessly access digital television services.

Beyond the technical benefits, she described the DSO programme as a major economic initiative capable of unlocking the value of the broadcast spectrum, often referred to as the “digital dividend,” for telecommunications and broadband services.

According to her, industry projections indicate that the transition could expand Nigeria’s advertising market by as much as N605.2 billion, while local manufacturing and distribution of reception devices could generate more than 20,000 jobs.

Usman-Wamba disclosed that the Ibadan exercise is the first in a series of engagements planned across the country’s geopolitical zones.

She maintained that developing the capacity of installers remains essential to achieving the Federal Government’s objective of providing universal, affordable and high-quality digital television services to Nigerians before the December 2028 analogue switch-off deadline.