The Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Is’haq Modibbo Kawu at the weekend disclosed that the commission is on the verge of issuing additional 200 licenses for broadcasting stations.
This is as he announced that Nigeria broadcasting industry is one of the leading employers of labour in the country as the industry can boast of 740 broadcasting stations; both radio and television.
Kawu said this while speaking at the 5th year anniversary of the Fresh Insight Newspapers, held at Banquet Hall, opposite Government House, Ilorin.
He explained that the deregulation in the broadcasting industry has opened up a lot of opportunities and advantages for the people of the country
The NBC boss 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.
He said, “NBC gave licenses to 240 stations in September this year and by the time the new licenses are released, more job opportunity would be provided for the teaming unemployed youth in the country.
He 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’m talking to you we are expecting another set of almost 200 licenses, so in terms of the quantity of stations and opportunity for people to be employed in broadcasting the industry is a sector to be reckon with.
“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 chanels 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.
