Nigeria Faces AFCON Blackout over TV Rights

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest television viewing audience may be denied the privilege of watching the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa, because her inability to dole out 8 million euros TV rights to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), owners of the event TV right.

Barely 96 hours before the kick-off of the 2013 Africa's football showpiece event, Alhaji Abubakar Jijiwa, director general of Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), stated that the country could not afford the 8 million euro fees, noting that it was 'over-priced.'

“Nigerian broadcasters  have refused to pay the 8million Euro media rights charged by a French company for Nigerian media to air the matches of the forth coming African Nations Cup matches on terrestrial TV stations,” said Jijiwa.

BON is an amalgamation of both public and private broadcasters in Nigeria, aimed at instilling professional disciple in the system. Before BON came into the afray, each radio and TV station negotiated international sports events, and severally at cut throat pricing to the detriment of the Nigerian stations.

BON came to correct that situation and has made a good milieage out it. But their latest refusal to pay for the broadcast rights of AFCON 2013 sponsored by French telecom giant, Orange Telecom may pitch the association against public expectation.

But it appears that although terrestial TV viewers maybe denied AFCON presence in their homes, those with DTH systems could benefit.

And South Africa's Multichoice, with the paytag, DStv enjoying a vitual monopoly in the Nigeria market may be the sole beneficiary of the brohaha facing BON. DStv already has exclusive rights over the Nigerian territory and it could exploit the situation to its advantage.

Some radio stations also appear to have gone out their way to keep their listerners tuned in.  A  Lagos based sports radio is already advertsing its presence in the Orange African Nations Cup, with a UK based partner broadcasting organisation.

Another private FM station which prides itself as the nation's first talk station is also promoting its presence in AFCON 2013.

But Alhaji Jijinwa noted that there were other fundamental issues affected Nigeria's inability to transmit AFCON 2013.