Nigeria to earn N320bn from digital broadcasting

The Chairman, Fatora Consult Limited, Mr.
Edward Amana, has said the country can
earn $2bn (N320bn) revenue from digital
broadcasting if properly managed.
He said this in Abuja as a guest lecturer at
the third anniversary of the Nigerian
Television Authority/Startimes TV Joint
Venture.
Under the auspices of the International
Telecommunications Union, the broadcasting
world has set June 17, 2015 as the final date
for all analogue terrestrial television
transmitters to be switched off and replaced
by digital transmitters.
In line with this, the Federal Government has
set January 1, 2015 as the country's date to
migrate to digital broadcasting.
Amana, who is a former Director of
Engineering at the NTA, said the revenue
would be possible from the frequency sale in
the spectrum that would be freed up in the
digital broadcasting space.
He said "The digital dividend, the spectrum
gain after the transition, can be used for
mobile broadband.
"This will enable broadband penetration into
the rural areas, with its attendant benefits.
Properly managed, the sale of this leftover
spectrum by auction should yield over
$2bn."
He said through the commencement of
digital broadcasting, more jobs would be
created for Nigerians.
The Acting Director-General, NTA, Musa
Maiyaki, said the full digitalisation of its
services would be achieved by June 2014,
ahead of the international requirement for
2015.
Mayaki, said so far, the NTA had digitalised
in 32 states of the federation.

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