Emma Okonji
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has outlined opportunities and
responsibilities for film producers as Nigeria advances its Digital Switch Over (DSO) programme across the country.
Head of the DSO Office at the NBC, Clementine Usman-Wamba, who presented the details in Lagos during a seminar themed: ‘Film Producers: Building & Sustainability,’ described the Digital Switch Over as more than a technical transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. She said it is a cultural and economic transformation intended to expand access, improve content quality and grow Nigeria’s creative economy.
According to her, the initiative aims for universal access through hybrid satellite and IP delivery, culturally relevant programming and significant economic gains, such as an estimated N5 trillion contribution to GDP, the creation of 2.7 million jobs by 2030 and a $100 billion revenue potential.
She highlighted key opportunities for producers to include the NBC’s 60 per cent local content mandate on FreeTV channels, which is expected to increase demand for productions in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and other Nigerian languages.
“Producers can also monetise content through the FreeTV App marketplace via advertising, sponsorships and merchandising. More than 90 movies are already available on the Video-on-Demand service, which is currently in a free testing phase, with monetisation features planned for a later stage,” Usman-Wamba said.
According to her, the NBC’s ViewTrack audience measurement system, which the
commission says delivers 94 per cent accuracy, will give producers real-time data on viewer behaviour.
“In addition, six regional studios are being established in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin to enable content creation closer to local communities. The transition from Free-to-View to Free-to-Air is expected to remove encryption barriers, expand reach and reduce distribution costs for producers,” Usman-Wamba further said.
She also noted challenges that producers must address, including piracy, infrastructure gaps in rural areas and the need to maintain high production standards in a competitive digital market.
She therefore urged film producers to adopt digital tools and analytics, partner with the NBC and view their work as contributing to national development.
“Producers are at the heart of the DSO journey, and your creativity will define the success of Nigeria’s digital future,” Usman-Wamba said.