The Northern Broadcast Media Owners Association, (NBMOA), has officially lodged a complaint against Network Arewa24 Ltd, operators of the Arewa24 TV channel, accusing the station of monopolizing the Northern Nigerian broadcast media market and violating both consumer rights and anti-trust practices.
The complaint was submitted to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, (FCCPC), the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, (ARCON).
In a press statement issued yesterday by the NBMOA Board of Trustees, (BoT), the association said Arewa 24 TV, originally known as Network Arewa24 Limited, is allegedly operating without proper licensing from the NBC.
The NBMOA lamented that the channel, in conjunction with its part shareholder, Lens 54 LLC, has been exploiting the cultural and commercial space of the Hausa-speaking populace in Northern Nigeria.
The complaint further alleges that the station’s foreign founders and directors, based in the United States, lack an understanding of Arewa culture, leading to content that contradicts the cultural and religious values of the region.
The statement said, “We are of the opinion that the founding Shareholders and Directors of the Network Arewa24 Limited are foreign persons based in the United States and some Nigerian proxies who are illegally using and bastardizing the name and brand “AREWA” in exploitation and monopolizing the commercial broadcast Media advertising space of the Hausa-speaking populace’s cultures and ideals by self-claiming jingles, thereby bastardizing the AREWA KNOT banner, an emotive symbol of Northern Nigeria adopted by the Late Sir. Alhaji Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto) as a political identity, in the 1950s when Nigeria was preparing for political and economic independence from Britain”.
The NBMOA argues that the channel’s usage of these symbols constitutes a “bastardization” of Northern Nigeria’s heritage.
The complaint highlights several alleged breaches of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, including illegal operation without NBC licensing, monopolising commercial broadcast media and advertisements in Northern Nigeria, and airing content that contradicts Hausa cultural and religious values.
It stated that, “The ownership structure under the SHAREHOLDERS AGREEMENT OF NETWORK AREWA24 LIMITED is crystal clear, that all the founding shareholders are not Hausas, and thus have no any profoundly knowledge or insight of Arewa cultures and ideals whatsoever, thereby doing things that is in contradiction with their cultures and beliefs. Be that as it may, the lingua franca in which all broadcasting activities of the said company will be conducted, as stated in its object clause, is in the Hausa language devoid of any other language in Nigeria.
The association revealed that, “Mr. Jacub Arback, Ms. Ronni Goldfarb, Mr. Graham Couturier and Mr. Celestine Umeibe are the Founding Shareholders of the aforementioned company, whom are apparently not Hausas”.
The NBMOA also pointed out potential violations of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Act 2022, specifically regarding the channel’s advertising practices. It stated: “We verily believe that Network AREWA 24 Limited is hitherto yet to be registered by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). To satisfy the requirements of operating a broadcasting business in Nigeria, approvals from several other agencies and commissions must be obtained aside registering with Corporate Affairs Commission e.g NBC, ARCON etc.
The provisions of Chapter 2 Items 2.0.1 & 2.0.2 of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code (6th Edition 2016) provides as follows: “It shall be illegal for any person to operate or use any apparatus or premises for transmission of sound or vision by cable, television, satellite or other mediums of broadcasting from anywhere in Nigeria unless licensed by the Commission”.
“In the light of the above cited provision of the NBC Code supra, we submit that Network Arewa24 Limited is, under the disguise of a benevolent broadcasting outlet, being operating illegally in Nigeria contrary to the Constituted Laws and Codes.
“Similarly, Network Arewa24 Limited has equally breached the following clauses under the NBC codes to wit: Chapter 7 items 7.0; 7.0.2. k,I,n,o”. 1) Breaches in the rules as related to broadcast and monopoly of commercial broadcast media and advertisements in Northern Nigeria.
“2) Their broadcast and Commercial advertisements are against the targeted audience (Hausa-speaking audience in particular. 3) Their contents, as regarding broadcasting, is mostly contrary to the provisions of the NBC and the Hausa cultural and religious values.
“Suffice it to say at this juncture, the above listed does not only violates the provisions of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, but also the clear provisions of Section 22 (1,2,3,4,5 & 6) of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act 2022.
In light of these concerns, the NBMOA prayed that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, should direct the NBC and ARCON to act on the complaint.
It also stated that, “The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) should halt Network Arewa24 Limited’s monopolization of consumer rights in the media industry.
“The NBC should ban Network Arewa 24 Limited from broadcasting in Nigeria due to its unregistered status, and also, ARCON should ban the channel from airing advertisements on Nigeria’s pay cable and satellite bouquets”.
NBMOA emphasised the urgency of these actions to protect the integrity of Northern Nigerian culture and the legal framework governing the country’s broadcasting industry.
The association’s BoT urged prompt action from the relevant authorities on these issues.
