December 2016 is the new switch over date for analogue to digital transmission date for Nigeria meaning that Nigerians will have to wait for 18 more months to join the rest of the world in digital Transmission.
According to The Channels, the reason given for the delay in the switch over by Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr Emeka Mba, are aggregate content development, distribution and production as well as lack of set top boxes.
Another reason given was that Nigeria was experiencing a dramatic transformation in the television industry and this did not lend the industry for forcing of the migration.
The NBC boss was categorical that if they were to force the process they would be forced to cut off about 80% thereby killing both the content market and the advertising industry in the country.
Mba added that with proper funding and efficient management Nigeria can meet the new deadline.
According to the ITU, come June 17 all analogue transmissions would lose the protection by the ITU resulting in multiple interferences in transmissions from neighbouring countries but Mba says that there are ECOWAS based contingency plans to deal with any eventualities.