Broadcasting
Nigeria’s DSO: Fresh Missteps Loom
By Dominic Omuedi
Heartwarming, it was for me, to read reports of the press conference addressed on Tuesday by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, on the country’s Digital Switchover (DSO) process, which seemed to have been interred under the rubble of poor conception, mismanagement and corruption.
The cheer brought by the government’s announced intention to reboot the process, positive as appears, has shown nothing beyond the fact that the DSO process is not completely forgotten. No more. No less.
At the press conference, Mohammed unveiled a 13-member Ministerial Task Force to take charge of the DSO process which, for years, has proceeded in staccato fashion and left the country trailing many others, including in Africa.
Members of the task force, to be chaired by Mohammed, include Armstrong Idachaba, Joe Mutah of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (Secretary), Dr Armstrong Idachaba, acting Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC); Olusegun Yakubu of Pinnacle Communications and Toyin Zubair, promoter of the defunct HiTV and now of In view.
At the press conference, Mohammed announced that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved outstanding payments to key DSO stakeholders, a development he said will remove all the hindrances to the entire process in the past three years. The funding source for the DSO, broadcast industry experts reckon, is from the N34billion paid by MTN for broadcast frequency.
“With the payment approval by FEC, and with 31 states to cover, we have our work cut out for us. We have no more excuses for not rapidly rolling out the DSO across the country, hence my decision to set up a 13-member Ministerial Task Force, which I will personally chair, to take charge of the rollout,” the minister said excitedly.
He added that the government took a decision last year, on account of the financial difficulties induced by Covid-19, that the DSO process will be private sector-driven, effectively cancelling the plan to provide subsidies for Set-Top-Boxes (STBs) or signal carriage.
What followed, typical of pronouncements on the DSO, was a raft of big-sounding and dreamy projections. The DSO, said the minister, will deliver over one million jobs in the next three years, with 50,000 of such coming via local production of 24 million STBs and Smart TVs.
“Not even 20 Set-Top-Box manufacturers can comfortably produce the initial requirements to feed the market. Furthermore, our position in West Africa, coupled with our size, makes us the definite source of these products for the whole sub-region,” he said.
Television production, he said, will create 200,000 jobs, as digitization will lead to “180 state channels, 30 regional channels and at least 10 national channels”. Digitization, he added, will boost local content propagation and draw many more Nigerians into the business. This, he said will create 400,000 jobs in film production and nudge Nollywood towards subscription Video-On-Demand on STBs and online, thereby providing cheaper distribution means, helping producers to make more money.
The envisaged boom in production, added the minister, will create an additional 200,000 jobs via increase in foreign demand for fully indigenous content and fetch the country in excess of $100 million.
“I have no doubt in my mind that a successful DSO is not just a job spinner, creating over one million jobs in three years, but also a money spinner,” said the minister.
Anyone familiar with the country’s DSO journey will not just doubt the minister’s projections, but dismiss them as drunkenly optimistic, especially given how squalidly it has been managed.
Undoubtedly, poor funding has inhibited the process. But more than that, squalid leadership and ill-conceived strategy are greater inhibitors. For instance, despite the pilot project, with the last roll-out three years ago in Osogbo, Osun State, there is no sustainable Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) coverage even in Plateau, Enugu, Osun, Kwara, and Kaduna states as well as the Federal Capital Territory, which were pilot states. Free Tv signals limited to state capitals.
This implies inhabitants outside state capitals are excluded and shows that the broadcast signal carriers selected for the DSO have inadequate technical and financial capacity for effective DTT coverage, the first step in the DSO.
The minister’s near-orgasmic projections on STBs, which convert analogue signals to digital, ignore the fact that the country, for strange reasons, chose a process that builds conditional access (CA) on top of the STBs instead of a standard affordable STB process. This means that the STBs process adopted for Nigeria’s for DSO will be out of the financial reach of most Nigerians. The standard STBs for DSO are supposed to receive free-to-air signal and affordable. Those with conditional access built onto them are similar to pay television STBs and are much pricier. Inview, the company providing the TV system/ conditional access, has already been paid N1billion for running the TV system only in Abuja and Jos.
The company and others involved in the process are understood to have filed invoices for additional sums.
The cancellation of subsidy for STBs, forced on the government by the inclement economic climate, is certain to ensure that the prices of the boxes will stretch users to breaking point. Prior to the devaluation of the naira, for instance, the recommended price STB ranged between N20,000 and N30,000. The boxes used in the roll-out at pilot locations were all imported, with the Federal Government giving the alleged STB manufacturers guarantees to fund the importation to the tune of N5billion.
The inordinately ambitious projection that Nigeria will, within three years, be heaving with locally manufactured STBs is something akin to a boxer’s boast-full of sound and fury.
According to experts, there are only three companies claiming to have STB assembly lines in the country and not a single one is manufacturing.
How the few companies, even operating at full capacity, can assemble 24 million STBs over five years has something that has eluded experts, who reckon that it will take a minimum of five years to meet the demand of 24million users- if all the companies function at full capacity. Importantly, not one of those claiming to have assembly/manufacturing capacities are in operation, meaning that they are engaged in no economic activities and employ nobody, thereby bilking the country through government contracts.
But they are not alone and are actually encouraged by the disposition of government officials, who view funding for the DSO process as “serve yourself,” the local parlance for buffet.
In a 21 March 2019 report published by The Guardian, experts interviewed identified corruption as the main obstacle to the country’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. A Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is on suspension from office and facing prosecution by the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) over allegedly fraudulent release of N2.5billion to a private company. The matter, which is before the Federal High Court, Abuja, relates to the 2016 release of N10 billion to the Ministry of Information and Culture for the DSO.
The ICPC is accusing the suspended D-G of using his position to confer a corrupt advantage on his associates in two private companies.
The suspended D-G is alleged to have asked the Information Minister to approve payment of N2.5 billion to Pinnacle Communications Limited, a private signal distribution operator, as “seed grant” for the DSO for which it was ineligible. Mohammed, who was listed as a witness in the trial, claimed he approved the payment based on expert advice given by the suspended D-G. The DSO guidelines, provided by a Federal Government Whitepaper, directed that the process be exclusively managed by companies affiliated to the Federal Government. Based on the guidelines, two companies were nominated for the purpose. One of these was ITS, an affiliate to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), which has no infrastructure of its own and is relying on the one owned by another private operator. It got also go N1.7billion as seed grant.
The assumption that our wonky DSO system will boost local content production because it will serve as distribution platform is also one without basis, as International Telecommunications Union (ITU) DSO policy is simply transiting free-to-air analogue signals to digital signal. Thus, Nigeria’s system, with its in-built conditional access system, will rob Nigerians of the constitutionally-guaranteed right to receive information in view of the fact that most free-to-air broadcaster are government-owned. In effect, 90 million Nigerians already living in poverty will be required to buy STBs, movies online and unlimited internet service to access such.
The claim that Nollywood output will benefit from better distribution is also a ruse. Nigerians are already using smart devices through which they access Nigerian creative content online.
Many have also blamed ministerial interference for the corrugated DSO process, arguing that worldwide, the DSO process is driven by the regulator and the industry.
What I have observed since 2015 is a lot of ministerial interference which, in addition to other factors, will leave the country panting to achieve DTT coverage by the time the rest of the world would have moved on a more modern platform, the OTT
-Omuedi, a retired broadcast engineer, writes from Ughelli
This week, three top football players of Nigerian origin who have played in the National Football League (NFL), also known as the American Professional Football League, will be guests on the Glo sponsored Cable News Network magazine show, African Voices Changemakers.
Three football players, Christian Emeka Okoye, Kenneth Odumegwu, and Haggai Chisom Ndubuisi, are featuring in the personality interview program.
Okoye was born on August 16, 1961, and was known as “the Nigerian Nightmare” while he was a fullback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL from 1987 to 1992.
He had an NFL rushing champion title in 1989, first-team All-Pro honours in 1989 and second-team All-Pro honours in 1991, two Pro Bowl appearances in 1989 and 1991, and three post-season appearances during his successful six-season NFL career. He was well-known for his explosive running abilities and ability to break tackles.
He mentored Ndubuisi and Odumegwu, among others, and is credited with helping to shape the future of many professional American football stars. In 2000, he was admitted to the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.
Odumegwu, on the other hand, is a Nigerian professional linebacker who plays defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. He was born in Lagos on November 29, 2000.
Before attempting American football in 2022, he played basketball and soccer while attending the National Open University of Nigeria.
He started his professional career with the Green Bay Packers in 2023 as a member of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program (IPPP).
Ndubuisi, the NFL’s defensive lineman for the Washington Commanders, turned 24 on October 15.
He joined the NFL through the International Player Pathway (IPP) program and has played for the San Antonio Brahmas of the United Football League (UFL), the Denver Broncos, and the Arizona Cardinals.
Scouting for gifted athletes to teach American football skills, the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program has been at the forefront.
The programme airs on Saturday 8.30a.m. on CNN Channel 401 with repeats at 12.00p.m. same day; Sunday 4.30a.m., 7.00p.m and Monday 4.00a.m. The same edition will be repeated on Saturday 8.30a.m., 12 noon and on Sunday at 4.30a.m., 7.00p.m. and 4.00a.m. on Monday.
Broadcasting
Halilu’s Next One Year in Office: NASENI to Upscale Commercialization of Technologies, Products
By Chinyere Obiora-Ekwuazi, Henry Ukwadia, Hadiza Abdul Abubakar
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) was strategically established in 1992 as the only purpose-built intervention agency of the Federal Government, having the mandate of nurturing an appropriate and dynamic science and engineering infrastructure base for achieving home-initiated and home-sustained industrialization of Nigeria.
Without the application of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), it is difficult for any nation to optimize the benefits of her possession of both human and material resources. Against this background, NASENI has continued to make giant strides in Nigeria’s technological landscape through its eleven (11) Development Institutes, each contributing to the development of STI for economic development of the nation. Nevertheless this is not without some attendant challenges ranging from funding to human capacity building and development.
However, the Agency heaved a sigh of relief when in September 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed a young, energetic technopreneur, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu who has brought to bear his wealth of experience from the private sector to administer NASENI, giving it a new result-based orientation with market in focus.
On assumption of office, he set his goal of transforming the Agency, saying he would make it a central player in Nigeria’s technology revolution by adopting, adapting and domesticating cutting-edge technologies. To build a national brand, going forward, every household in Nigeria will have one NASENI product or the other.
Today, NASENI stands as hope for Nigeria’s indigenous technological advancement, aligning with its core mission of fostering needed dynamic science and engineering Infrastructure for national progress. The Agency under Halilu has articulated a bold vision and promoted shared management-staff philosophy hinged on 3Cs principles of Creation, Collaboration and Commercialization to fuel Nigeria’s innovation and sustainable future.
This approach has indeed opened more doors to result-oriented NASENI partnerships with both national and international corporate communities to foster EVC/CEO’s commitment toward the commercialization of NASENI’s products. In just one year, KSH as he is fondly called, spearheaded unprecedented collaborations cutting across many sectors with local and international partners in both public and private sectors, resulting in numerous groundbreaking agreements, making his vision for viable commercialization and rolling out innovative products for public consumption.
Briefing newsmen recently in Abuja, in commemoration of his one year in office, Mr. Halilu reiterated his resolve to make NASENI “the number One Technology Transfer Agency in the country.” This stems from his earlier promise in 2023 to take NASENI products from the shelves to the market. So far, not less than 36 products from NASENI are already in the corporate market.
During the media briefing, he disclosed the plans to have a showroom where people can walk in and buy NASENI products in retail, explaining that there are already plans to this effect. Halilu further noted that all the products of the Agency developed in the last one year are products of collaborations with strategic partners and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) with local content inputs.
The Agency has in the past one year introduced about 36 market-ready products which includes Solar Irrigation pumps, electric cars (EV), Android Smartphone, Solar Home System, Smart Prepaid Meters, Power Stove, Hatchbox, Pick-Up vehicle, Power Storage, Car Battery, Laptop, CCTV, Solar Street Lamp, Solar Wall Light, Electric Tricycle, Mobile Science kit, amongst others.
In addition, NASENI has established one of Nigeria’s largest CNG reverse engineering centre at Utako in Abuja to help Nigeria save cost on fuel products as well as cut fossil fuel emission in line with the SDGs on renewable energy. Also, under one year in office, the NASENI EVC/CEO made sure that the Agency carried out several administrative reform initiatives, such as Rebranding the Agency’s vision; introduced a new vision for NASENI’s brand identity, reposition NASENI with the 3Cs, increased NASENI’s valued investments to USD3.25 billion and launched the accelerated Technology Transfer Framework.
The initiatives also included the development of the Agency’s 2023-2027 strategic launchpad, reformed NASENI’s governance structure, enhanced staff welfare, established an Innovative Hub at NASENI HQ, launched Hatch Box for STEM education, digitalized Agency services and operations and positioned the Agency as Nigeria’s technology transfer agency, provided policy recommendations and contributing to economic growth, reduced dependency on imports and promoted domestic production.
Having attained these milestones, NASENI now is focusing on innovations and homegrown solutions that will contribute to the Agency’s job creation drive and the growth of the economy. Hence the mandate of NASENI to support the diversification of the Nigerian economy and strengthen the Agency’s position in the global technology and manufacturing landscape remain viable options through its accelerated technology transfer initiatives.
Moreso, NASENI has mapped out strategic plans that will upscale commercialization of the Agency’s technologies and products and drive the Nigeria economy in 2025. Some of these upcoming projects include; NASENI Renewable Industrial Park, MTS (spare parts support), NASENI Holding Company, NASENI Technologies Limited, NASENI Asset Recovery, CGIWC – Land awarded, Lekki FTZ Partnership, Vehicles refurbishment, Small arms assembly, Ammunition production, NASENI Innovation Hub, NASENI Xceler8, Future-Makers by NASENI – 2025, NASENI Public Challenge – 2025, Global Return Programme – 2025, DELT-Her v2.0 – 2025, NASENI Governing Council and NASENI Campus. All these are geared towards economic growth, job and wealth creation for Nigerians.
Multichoice Group, South African Pay-TV operator, has announced that it has written off N31.6 billion ($21 million) in cash that was held with the recently liquidated Heritage Bank.
A write-off is the decision decision by a company or government to accept that they will never recover a debt or an amount of money that has been spent on something.
The company made this disclosure in its financial results for the six months ending September 30, 2024.
Earlier, in its FY 2024 annual report released in June, the group had reported a deposit of N33.7 billion with the bank as of March 31, 2024, the end of the fiscal year.
However, following cash remittances made before the bank’s liquidation on June 3, 2024, the balance was adjusted to N31.6 billion.
“Following the revocation of Heritage Bank’s banking licence by the Central Bank of Nigeria on 3 June 2024 and its subsequent liquidation, the group wrote off its receivable relating to the cash held with the bank,” Multichoice stated in a note to the $21 million listed as part of its operating losses for the half-year under review.
The Group reported that the continued depreciation of the naira against the US dollar led to additional foreign exchange losses on non-quasi equity loans, particularly on the USD-denominated intergroup loan from MultiChoice Africa Holdings B.V. to MultiChoice Nigeria Limited.
Despite these challenges, the Group successfully repatriated some funds from its Nigerian operations to its headquarters, although the amount was lower compared to the previous year.
“The group extracted USD65 million from Nigeria in the period (1H FY24: USD91 million) at an average rate of NGN1,516:USD (1H FY24: NGN794:USD), incurring extraction losses of USD1 million or ZAR20 million (1H FY24: USD28 million or ZAR518m) in the process.
“The group held USD11 million in cash in Nigeria at period-end, down from USD39 million at end FY24, a consequence of consistent focus on remitting cash, the impact of translating the balance at the weaker naira and the write-off of the USD21 million receivable relating to the cash held with Heritage Bank before its license was revoked and the bank was liquidated,” it stated.
After the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), revoked Heritage Bank’s banking license on June 3, 2024, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), was appointed as the liquidator.
The NDIC has since begun paying insured deposits, with a maximum coverage of N5 million per depositor.
While Multichoice initially stated in June that it would work with the NDIC to ensure a reasonable outcome regarding its funds in the liquidated bank, its deposit exceeds the maximum amount insured by the NDIC.
Recently, the NDIC announced that it is actively working to ensure that depositors with amounts exceeding the N5 million insurance limit are compensated through liquidation dividends generated from the sale of the defunct bank’s assets.
The Corporation also confirmed that it has begun efforts to recover debts and liquidate investments and physical assets from the bank to facilitate timely reimbursement for uninsured depositors.
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