The federal government has reiterated its commitment to achieve the June 2017 Digital Switch Over (DSO) deadline, in line with the directive of the global telecoms body, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to its member countries
The statement was made by the Nigerian minister of information and culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed during a meeting with the management of StarTimes of China in his office in Abuja. He said that digitising broadcasting in Nigeria is irreversible and unstoppable and that the switch to digitisation is no longer a matter of choice.
“If we do not follow the world to digitalise and meet the June 2017 target, it means that our telephones, televisions and radios will not be free from interference. Digitalisation is going to affect the way we perceive and understand broadcasting. It will act as a catalyst to unleash the creative potential of our youth.”
The minister also welcomed China’s decision to support Nigeria in its mission to actualise the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. He added that his ministry will also borrow a leaf from China, particularly in the area of national re-orientation.
Nigeria could not meet the previous deadline of 17 June 2015 deadline set by the ITU as a result of poor funding.
The June 2017 deadline for the switchover from analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) is part of the development of ‘all-digital’ terrestrial broadcast services for sound and television for 119 countries belonging to ITU Region-1 (Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia) and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
