Broadcasting
West African Business Platform Takes over TStv’s HQ over Debts

West African Business Platform Ltd., a law firm has taken possession of the Abuja Headquarters office of Telcom Satellite Ltd. Television (Tstv) due to its inability to pay its rent.
The Abuja Headquarters office of the television company is situated at Plot 1191, Jahi District, off Gilmore Construction Company, FCT.
The property was taken over on Tuesday following the judgment entered in favour of the plaintiff by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court in Nov. 2019.
Officers from the execution unit of the FCT High Court, including four police officers were stationed in the premises during the takeover.
The law firm through Mr Raphael Adakole, its principal, had filed the suit in 2018 with No. CV/2739/18 against the television company and Mr Bright Echefu, managing director.
Filing of the suit was due to the inability of the television company to meet up with the tenancy agreement entered between the plaintiff and defendants on May 1, 2017.
The law firm had particularly sought the order of the court to declare that the tenancy agreement between the plaintiff and defendants had elapsed by effluxion of time.
It also prayed the court for an order directing the defendants to give up vacant possession of all the five storey building of the office complex together with its appurtenances, fixtures and fittings thereof.
An order of the court directing the defendants to restore and reinstate the property of the plaintiff to a tenantable and good condition to the satisfaction of the plaintiff was outlined in the tenancy agreement.
The suit also contained an order of the court mandating the defendants to pay to the plaintiff the sum of N20, 833, 333, being the profit from May 1, 2018 to Sept. 2018.
It also issued an order of the court computing the profit of the demised premises at the rate of N4, 166, 666.666, being the calculated profit per month from May 2018 until the defendants give up vacant possession to the plaintiff.
An order of the court mandating the defendants to pay the sum of N20 million as general damages to deter and serves as a lesson from treating other unsuspecting landlords in such manner.
It also prayed the court for an order of N10 million against the defendants being the cost of the suit and any other order the court might deem it fit in the circumstances of the suit.
Justice Halilu, who declared that the defendant did not defend the action in spite of the receipt of document from the court stipulating the hearing notices granted all the prayers of the plaintiff in line with the law.
“I must state here that it is the duty of the court to evaluate all evidence before it can come to conclusion of the case; the court must treat as sacrosanct the terms of an agreement freely entered into by the parties.
“The terms of a contract between parties are clothed with some degree of sanctity and if any question should arise with regard to contract, the terms in any document which constitute the contract are invariably the guide to its interpretation as set out by them.
“Indeed, a defendant who has no defense to a certain claim shall not be allowed to dribble and cheat a claimant out of judgment,” he said.
Justice Halilu however said that following the consequences of the action of the defendants, judgment is hereby entered against them.
Broadcasting
NCC Warns DJs: Playing Music Without License Could Lead to 5-Year Jail Term

Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has warned disc jockeys (DJs) against publicly playing music without proper authorization or a valid license.
NAN reports that John Asein, NCC director-general, gave the warning in an advisory issued in Abuja.
He said the commission’s attention had been drawn to the growing practice of DJs playing music in public spaces without obtaining copyright licences from their approved collective management organisations (CMOs).
Asein said under sections 9 and 12 of the Copyright Act, 2022, only the owner of copyright in a musical work or sound recording has the exclusive right to reproduce, perform, or communicate it to the public.
The NCC threatened to prosecute defaulters in a case that could lead to a N1 million fine or a 5-year jail term upon conviction.
“Engaging in any of these acts without the owner’s authorisation constitutes an infringement under the Act,” he said.
“Such infringement may constitute a civil wrong or a criminal offence under section 44 (7), punishable upon conviction by a fine of not less than N1 million or imprisonment for a term of not less than five years or to both.”
Asein advised DJs to obtain the necessary licences and pay royalties to the approved CMO before performing music publicly.
The NCC director-general added that the commission will arrest and prosecute anyone found violating the law.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the approved CMO for musical works and sound recordings in Nigeria is the Musical Copyright Society, Nigeria (MCSN),” he said.
“The Commission is aware that the Disc Jockey’s Association of Nigeria (DJAN), as the umbrella body representing DJs in Nigeria, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with MCSN.
“Under the arrangement, DJAN is authorised to work with MCSN to facilitate the payment of royalties by DJs nationwide, based on the tariff that DJAN had negotiated with MCSN.”
Broadcasting
Netflix Hikes Subscription Fees Again in Nigeria over “Market Conditions”

Netflix has increased its subscription fees in Nigeria for the third time since 2024, with the Premium Plan rising by 21.43%, from ₦7,000 to ₦8,500 per month.
This marks the streaming platform’s first price adjustment in 2025.
Other subscription tiers have also been affected.
The Standard Plan now costs ₦6,500, up from ₦5,500—a hike of 18.18%.
The Basic Plan has increased from ₦3,500 to ₦4,000, while the Mobile Plan moved from ₦2,200 to ₦2,500, reflecting increases of 14.29% and 13.64% respectively.
The latest adjustment aligns with Netflix’s broader global pricing strategy, which the company has linked to its ongoing investment in content and platform development. In a previous communication to investors, Netflix stated, “As we invest in and improve Netflix, we’ll occasionally ask our members to pay a little extra to reflect those improvements. Which in turn helps drive the positive flywheel of additional investment to further improve and grow our service.”
While the company did not explicitly cite inflation in its most recent update, its website indicates that local economic factors influence its pricing structure.
“Price changes are made to respond to local market changes, such as changes to local taxes or inflation,” the statement read.
The move mirrors similar pricing shifts among other major digital and entertainment services in Nigeria.
Companies including Google, DSTV, GOtv, and Microsoft have also raised subscription rates, attributing their decisions to continued inflationary pressures and a weakening naira.
Broadcasting
NBC, Nigcomsat Launch Satellite Plan to Transform Broadcasting

National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) have jointly introduced “The Big Picture’, a flagship initiative under Nigeria’s renewed Digital Switchover (DSO) project.
Under the project, Nigerian households will for the first time, gain access to high-quality digital broadcasts via affordable satellite dishes, hybrid devices, and internet-enabled set-top boxes.
Backed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, this strategic shift marks a significant step toward transforming Nigeria’s broadcasting landscape by leveraging the country’s sovereign satellite infrastructure.
At the heart of the initiative is NigComSat-1R, Nigeria’s only communications satellite in orbit, which will play a critical role in delivering Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasts across the entire Nigerian territory.
This satellite-first approach eliminates the traditional dependence on terrestrial transmission towers, accelerating the nationwide rollout of digital broadcasting by over 65%.
It also offers a scalable, cost-effective, and future-ready model for expanding digital access and promoting national storytelling.
Key figures, including: Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC; and Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, managing director, Nigcomsat, have welcomed this forward-thinking strategy, emphasising its importance in maximising the use of national satellite assets and ensuring inclusive access to digital content.
An estimated 10 million homes equipped with DVB-S2-compatible televisions or decoders will have immediate access to free-to-air channels, while others will benefit from next-generation hybrid devices that combine satellite feeds with online streaming capabilities.
These new branded devices are designed with the country’s youth-dominated demographic in mind over 60% of the population is under the age of 25.
They will feature pre-installed apps, voice search functionality, parental controls, and seamless integration with NigComSat’s Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), offering an intuitive and engaging user experience.
In a data-driven upgrade to Nigeria’s broadcasting ecosystem, NBC is also partnering with global analytics firm GARB to introduce real-time audience measurement technology.
This will enable broadcasters, advertisers and content creators to analyse viewership trends across regions and devices, helping to tailor content more effectively and drive higher audience engagement. The introduction of this system is expected to boost advertising revenue by as much as 300% by 2026.
The success of “The Big Picture” will rely on robust collaboration between public and private stakeholders.
The Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and other content partners are expected to supply 60% of programming for the new 120-channel platform, using both original and repurposed content.
Meanwhile, local manufacturers will contribute by producing around 5 million compliant devices annually, a move projected to create over 20,000 jobs in assembly plants nationwide.
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