FG Seeks $500m Loan to Digitize NTA Stations, Others

Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, has said that the ministry has applied for $500 million loan to enable it to actualise the digitalisation of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) stations in the country.

He said the fund, when approved and disbursed, would also be used to improve the creative industry in the country.

Mohammed made this known when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts to defend the external borrowing plan sought by the ministry.

He said that the loan would help to improve the creative industry in Nigeria via creation of additional 100,000 jobs for youths in the creative industry.

He also said that the fund would aid in the establishment of a Media and Cultural Training Centre and ensure digital coverage in all Nigeria villages which would create jobs.

The minister said the ITU had given a dateline for nations to migrate from analogue to digital television broadcast. He said the media and culture training centre would help train Nigerian broadcasters and film makers and also generate revenue for the nation.

Mohammed said that the digitilisation of all NTA stations would help to improve the contents and quality of the nation’s television programmes.