NIGERIA’S DIGITAL SWITCHOVER: THE PROCESS, CHALLENGES AND PLACE OF BROADCASTERS - A PAPER PRESENTATION AT NTA MAIDUGURI NETWORK CENTRE ON WEDNESDAY MAY 24, 2017 BY AHMED ABDULKADIR, ZONAL DIRECTOR, NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMMISSION, MAIDUGURI ZONE

 Introduction:

Broadcasting in Nigeria is about nine decades old; counting from December 1, 1935, twenty-one years after the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates which formed present day Nigeria. It was on that day, Nigeria’s Colonial government launched the first known broadcasting system in Nigeria which was best known as the Re-diffusion Broadcasting System.

Since then, broadcasting in Nigeria has witnessed various transformation, up till now, that the country is determined to transit to digital terrestrial television broadcasting. This journey began in 2006 when about 200 member-states of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), through council resolution 1185 approved the adoption of Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting.

In that year, ITU resolved that all countries in ITU Region 1 (Europe, the former Soviet Republic, Africa, Middle East and the Islamic Republic of Iran) should transit from analogue to digital broadcasting services by 17^th June 2015. After this date, analogue broadcasting services will not be protected from interferences.

What is Digitization?

Digitization is simply a transition from analogue television transmission to digital terrestrial broadcasting. This platform/mode of broadcasting improves the quality of reception and ensures efficient use of the scarce natural resource or broadcast spectrum (if you like). The potential gains from the transition include the following:

1.    Multi-channeling: more than one channel of television program can be broadcast at the same time. One frequency can accommodate from 8 – 20 channels.

2.    Save of spectrum

3.    Better audio and video quality

4.    A potential reduction in transmission network energy usage with the implementation of Single frequency network (SFNs) instead of the independent parallel networks which are common in analogue broadcasting.

5.    Frequencies would be freed up and used by government for security and other developmental activities.

6.    Electronic programme guide and Interactive television, etc.

                                                                     

Stakeholders in Digitization and what is required of them

The major stakeholders in the implementation of the DTTB are:

1.    The Consumer

a.    Cost of acquiring digital receiver

b.    Choice of TV /Set Top Box to acquire

c.    Exposure to information on digitization

2.    The Broadcaster

a.    Creation/production of enough quality and compelling content

b.    Awareness creation to keep people abreast of the project

c.    Training of manpower on the use of digital broadcast facilities

3.    The Regulator: some of the work that needs to be done by the NBC as a regulator are as follows:

1. Publicity
2. Planning
3. Transition Time Table (Work plan with time frame)
4. Standards
5. Enforcement

4.    The Government

1. Commitment/political zeal
2. Funding
3. Legislation
4. Tax free incentives and Policy on importation of analogue equipment, importation of digital equipment and incentives for these importations.
5. Education of the public, through NOA and other government agencies

The Thriving Milestones        

In the year 2010 a pilot project on DVB-T, NTA-StarTimes, whose idea was  hatched in Africast-2008, incubated by NBC, and nurtured by NTA and Star Communications of China, was commissioned on 29^th, July 2010 as NTA-Startimes TV. Today Startimes penetrates all the nooks and crannies and is a shining star among its competitors. Kudos to NBC and NTA.

In the year 2012, NTA’s groomed but NBC’s branded figure, a veteran par excellence, Engineer Edward Amana was appointed to head the Digiteam Nigeria. The team has 14 other eminent broadcast industry experts, drawn up from various organizations as members. It was saddled with the responsibility of steering the transition from analog to digital broadcasting together with the Commission.   

   

Policy Decisions on Digitization

The following Policy Decisions were taken by Government in the implementation of the Transition from Analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in Nigeria:

1.      Separation of power/functions:  there would be:

a.    Content Producer=====broadcasters

b.    Signal distributors======Pinnacle Communications and Integrated Television Services, ITS.

2.      Signal Distributors or Carriers were Licensed, one of which evolved from the transmission infrastructure of the Nigerian Television Authority – NTA.

3.      The transmission Standard is DVB-T2 Format with MPEG-4 AVC Compression Format.

4.      STBs are being produced by about 13 licensed companies in Nigeria.

Digitization: The Journey so Far

NBC has always been committed towards digitization, hence, the setting up of June 17, 2012 as switch-over date, which failed due to reasons beyond NBC’s control.  Another date (June 17, 2015) was put forward for the realization of the project. The second date too, came and passed without achieving the set goal.

In view of this, NBC, alongside other relevant stakeholders decided that June 17, 2017 shall be a sacrosanct date for the switchover. The major achievements so far include the Jos Pilot digital switch on, which commenced in Jos, where about two hundred thousand Set-Top-Boxes were successfully distributed and activated in April, 2016. Also on December 22, 2016 Abuja was digitally switched on. The flag off was performed by President Muhammadu Buhari, ably represented by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo. Two signal distributors, namely; Integrated Television Services, ITS, and Pinnacle Communications are presently carrying the signals of the switched on TV stations in Jos and Abuja, respectively. To ensure that the signals reached remote rural areas, a satellite transmission agency has been engaged to carry the signals to those areas.

To manage the project, two committees have been established; an enlarged committee made up of NBC, Digiteam and CEOs of participating agencies. The committee meets regularly to discuss updates and the way forward. Where necessary, decisions are reviewed and changed. The second is an in-house one that also meets regularly and takes briefings and updates from the DSO Coordinator. Tasks are carried out by individuals, departments and directorates. Both committees are headed by the Director General, NBC.

A project office was also established under the office of the DG which acts as a liaison between NBC and its partners. It is also responsible for following up developments and briefing the DG, so that issues receive the necessary attention.

Similarly, thirteen Set-top-box manufacturers have been licensed and they are  producing the STBs in Nigeria, some of them in partnership with foreign companies that are experts in that field. 

The Role of NTA and other Broadcasters in the Digitization Process

Publicity: NTA needs to publicize digitization to make it a success. With its army of stations (network capacity) and being the biggest network station in the whole of Africa with diverse viewers estimated at 30million, NTA can make serious impact on sensitizing Nigerians on the digitization project.

Content: creation of compelling content or what I call CCC (3Cs) must be achieved for us to boast of success in digitizing Nigeria’s TV platform. The content must be locally produced so that we promote and sell our culture, because, it is only ‘we’ that can tell our story. Can anyone tell your story better than you? Why should you tell another person’s story? The Nigeria Broadcasting Code encourages broadcasters to attain 100% local content (NBC Code, section 3.12.1 (c).

Training: As new broadcast technology evolves on regular basis and the competitive market is becoming saturated with unsatisfactory content, NTA has to initiate and sustain rigorous training for its staff. 

Digitization: June 2017 Deadline - Can Nigeria Make It?     

This is a very serious question that, on my own, I cannot say ‘yes’ or ‘no’. NBC is working tirelessly to achieve that, but, there are still some challenges such as:

1.    Legislation

2.    Code

3.    STBs

4.    Signal distributors are still putting in place necessary infrastructure

5.    Funding

6.    Some State governments need the political will to digitize.

7.    Awareness

I wish all of us GOOD LUCK.

Thank you