MTN Acquires Pay-TV License, Set to Battle DStv

By Adedeji Fakorede

MTN Nigeria is venturing into Digital Pay TV services as the company has successfully acquired digital pay TV broadcasting rights from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for a sum reported to be around N34 billion .

Although there is no official Press information from MTN, Emeka Mba, director general of the NBC, hinted at this during his world media briefing last week in Lagos.

According to reports, the move is beneficial for both parties as MTN will use part of the 700 MHz spectrum to provide pay TV services while the NBC has announced the fund will be used in funding the digital switch over.

The amount received from the Telco company accounts for about 50% of the initial estimated budget of N70 billion naira.

The fund raised will be channelled towards Nigeria’s Digital Switch Over and should help in getting the plan back on course since the June 17, 2015 deadline elapsed.

However, in alliance with some West African countries a new deadline of June 20, 2017 has been set and this time around it should be able to guarantee digital switch over and achieve analogue switch off.