Television viewers in Lagos will now have access to as many as 60 channels on the FreeTV launched by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, under the Digital Switch Over (DSO) programme.
Mohammed said more than one million Set-Top-Boxes, the decoder for the FreeTV, are ready for the Lagos launch, adding that the boxes would be made available at affordable prices.
However, a token access fee will be paid on acquisition of the set-top-boxes. There is no monthly subscription payment.
“This enables millions of Nigerians who cannot afford to pay the rising subscription fees being charged by the Pay TV platforms to enjoy the benefit of digital television,” the minister said.
The minister, who stated this on Thursday at the inauguration of DSO – transition from analogue to digital terrestrial television in Lagos, assured that the process would be speedy across the country.
The Lagos inauguration marks the beginning of the second phase of the DSO rollout, which had been stalled for three years after its inauguration in five states – Plateau, Kwara, Kaduna, Enugu, Osun and the FCT.
“Though it took the digital television train over three years to arrive in Lagos State from its last stop in Osun, the train is now ready to move faster.
“The DSO train has now changed from narrow gauge to standard gauge, meaning it will move faster to cover 13 states across the country this year alone in the second phase of the DSO rollout, which begins today.
“From Lagos, the DSO train heads to Kano State on June 3, Rivers on July 8; Yobe on July 15; Gombe on August 12; Imo on August 24 and Akwa Ibom on August 31.
“It will move to Oyo on September 9, Jigawa on September 23, Ebonyi on October 17, Katsina on October 21, Anambra on November 4 and Delta on November 18,’ the minister said.
The minister reassured that notwithstanding the huge logistic and financial challenge, they would meet up with the set timeline of DecThe minister said besides high fidelity sound and picture, the DSO would facilitate job creation for the teeming youth, stimulate local content and empower channel owners.
He said it would also provide Value Added Services, such as enforcement and collection of TV Licenses, premium PayTV channels, push video on demand, information services and audience measurement.
Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Olushina Thorpe.
The governor reiterated the commitment and support of the state to the success and full realisation of the DSO project.
– NAN