CEO Weekends: Nigeria Bans Importation of Analogue TVs & Transmitters Over E-Waste

Nigeria’s Federal Government has banned the importation of analogue TVs and transmitters in a move expected to see a massive shift from analogue transmission to digital totally.

Spearheaded by the National Broadcasting Commission and in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, the country will from June 17 ban the importation and use of analogue transmitters everywhere in the country. The move is also aimed at reducing e-waste in the country during the switch-over.

Mr. Emeka Mba, the Director-General, NBC speaking to the Punch today said the ban was put in order to cut the accumulation of electronic wastes in the country as the equipment wouldn’t be useful anymore.

“When the digital switchover happens, there won’t be importation of analogue sets, that is, the second-hand  or Tokunbo  TVs and analogue transmitters anymore. Certain TV sets will not work again,” Mba told the paper. “People using digitally-enabled sets with digital tuners may not need decoders because signals can be picked from the air; but antennas will be needed.”

Nigeria has set January 1, 2015, as the deadline for digital migration ahead of the June 2015 deadlines set up by the ITU.

The country expects to earn nearly $2 million from the the move in form of jobs for content creators, channels among others. The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)  says its services  will be all digital by June 2014. It has already digitized in 32 states in the country.