Media and broadcasting stakeholders have been urged to urgently address concerns surrounding Nigeria’s Digital Switch-Over (DSO) and FreeTV framework, following Ghana’s decision to review the funding structure of its Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) platform.
A broadcast industry analyst, Aderemi Ogunpitan raised the concerns in an opinion piece yesterday, warning that Nigeria risks facing similar challenges if issues around financing, regulation and stakeholder participation are not resolved early.
Recall that Ghana recently directed broadcasters and regulators to develop a sustainable funding model within 30 days after government reportedly carried the cost of maintaining its television platform for years while broadcasters used the infrastructure without contributing proportionately.
Drawing parallels with Nigeria, Ogunpitan said the development should serve as an early warning, stressing that free television systems require significant financial backing despite being presented as accessible to the public.
According to him, costs linked to transmission, signal distribution, satellite capacity, software management, monitoring systems, maintenance and technological upgrades require a clearly defined funding structure.
He argued that Nigeria must determine who bears the cost of operating the platform, how revenues are generated and distributed, and the responsibilities of participating stakeholders.
The analyst also questioned the exact structure of Nigeria’s FreeTV initiative, asking whether it remains aligned with the DTT framework outlined in the 2012 DSO White Paper or if it has shifted toward direct-to-home (DTH) satellite and online streaming aggregation. He noted that industry concerns had already been raised over possible overlaps between DTT, DTH and Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, warning that the distinction could affect legality, public funding, spectrum management and consumer access.
Ogunpitan further called for transparency in ownership and operational arrangements, urging government to disclose the platform’s governance structure, funding plan, revenue-sharing model and the roles of agencies involved. He also cautioned against potential regulatory conflicts, saying agencies responsible for oversight should avoid assuming commercial roles that may create market imbalances.
The analyst urged the government to engage broadcasters, content producers, signal distributors, advertisers, technology providers and consumer groups before financial pressures emerge.
He added that government should clearly communicate the true cost of accessing FreeTV services, noting that expenses such as decoders, installation, electricity, internet connectivity and smart devices could create barriers for low-income households.
According to him, the lesson from Ghana is that public-interest television requires sustainable financing, transparent governance and fair cost-sharing arrangements to remain viable.
