NBC to issue 200 additional  Broadcast Licenses

The Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Is’haq Modibbo Kawu says the Nigerian broadcasting industry is one of the leading employers of labour in the country as the industry has about 740 broadcasting stations.

Kawu disclosed this on Sunday in Ilorin, the kwara state capital.

Kawu disclosed that the commission was currently processing additional 200 licenses for another set of broadcasting stations in the country which will further increase the number of the existing figure.

According to him, the commission gave licenses to 240 stations in September last year, saying that by the time the new licenses are released, more job opportunities would be provided for the teaming unemployed youth in the country.

The NBC boss disclosed further that the commission was working towards the possibility of having 200 channels on the platform of government digital switch over (Free TV) to allow people the opportunity to tune to different programmes of their choice.

“Last September we gave 243 licenses, as I am talking to you, we are expecting another set of almost 200 licenses, in terms of the quantity of stations and opportunity for people to be employed in broadcasting industry as the sector has gone far.

“At the moment, we have about 740 radio and television stations and we think that before long, this will increase because at the moment, we are processing new licenses. For television, we are looking at possibility on the platform of our digital switch over to have up to 200 channels in Nigeria to enable us have different channels such as for the children, women, documentaries and several others so that when you tune television, you have a lot of channels that will satisfy different tastes” Kawu added.

The veteran broadcaster explained that the deregulation in the broadcasting industry has opened up a lot of opportunities and advantages for the people of the country.

He called on operators of the stations to be cautious about their operations and be mindful of the fact that the license given to them is for the community and should not be used against the people of the society.