Digital Broadcasting: Nigeria gets set-up boxes ahead 2017 switchover
The Nigerian Broadcasting Commission says it has received the first batch of set-top boxes to underscores the country’s readiness to meet its June 2017 deadline for switchover to digital broadcasting.
Ms. Alheri Saidu, acting Director-General of NBC confirmed receiving the Set-Top boxes that will power digital broadcasting across Nigeria, in a statement issued by the broadcast regulator.
“Today is a significant day for the Commission. The day we all had been looking forward to. We are also happy with you the licensees because you actually gave this assignment all the seriousness it deserves”, Saidu says.
The acting DG of NBC alongside NBC Board of Management took delivery of the Set-Top boxes delivered by SMK Engineering Limited and Gospel Digital Technology Limited in what the broadcast regulator describes as “a renewed effort to meet the new deadline of June 20, 2017, agreed to by the West African Sub region.”
NBC’s acting DG says that, “this will now show to Nigerians that we are serious about Nigeria going Digital. Today, we thank God we have the first sets of evidence of our seriousness towards the digital switchover.”
Responding, the Managing Director of Gospel Digital Technology Limited, and chairman, Set-Top-Boxes Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa, demonstrated the features of the Set-Top Boxes (STB), detailing its advantages and method of operation.
According t him, “these were high standard boxes that were among the best one could get in the West African sub-region, whose features and quality were comparable to any in the world.”
Ohuabunwa says his association was very proud that delivery had begun successfully adding that, “the remaining sets would be cleared and delivered to the Commission before the end of the month.”
According to NBC, SMK Engineering, which is the second company at the event, delivered 50,000 boxes to Nigeria, for this process.
The epoch making ceremony was concluded with a ceremonial hand over of the truckload of set-top-boxes to the custody of the Commission, the broadcast regulator says.
At the delivery ceremony were representatives of Cable Channels Nigeria Limited (CCNL); Newline; Inview Nigeria, “each of whom has a critical role to play in the acquisition and deployment of the set-top-box and the digital switchover”, according to NBC.
