By Precious Mark
Nigerians will soon gain free access to over 100 digital television channels without monthly subscription fees following the official launch of FreeTV, a national digital broadcasting platform designed to expand access to information, entertainment, education and local content across the country.
The platform is scheduled for launch on June 17, 2026, and is part of Nigeria’s Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme.
It also aligns with Pres. Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises inclusion, job creation, digital access and the use of technology to improve living standards nationwide.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the State House on Wednesday, which described FreeTV as a key milestone in Nigeria’s transition from analogue to fully digital broadcasting, and a major step toward ensuring wider access to quality television content across all parts of the country.
Announcing the initiative ahead of the launch, Charles Ebuebu, the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), said the platform would ensure that Nigerians, regardless of income level or location, benefit from the country’s digital transition.
“FreeTV speaks directly to Pres. Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of Renewed Hope towards expanding access, creating opportunity and ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location or income, can benefit from the digital economy,” Ebuebu said.
“With FreeTV, families across Nigeria can enjoy quality digital television without a monthly subscription, while our local content producers, technicians and young creatives gain new platforms and new jobs,” he added.
According to the NBC, FreeTV will provide access to more than 100 national, regional and state television channels covering news, sports, movies, music, children’s programming, educational content, and dedicated indigenous language channels in Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo.
The commission further explained that the service will be delivered through satellite broadcasting, terrestrial transmission and a dedicated FreeTV mobile application, making it accessible in urban centres, semi-urban areas and rural communities, including locations previously excluded from earlier Digital Switch-Over pilot phases.
It also clarified that Nigerians will not be required to purchase new television sets, noting that existing TVs can work with compatible DVB-T2 or DVB-S2 decoders.
Households with already compatible free-to-air decoders may also not need to acquire new equipment.
Beyond improved access to television services, the initiative is expected to stimulate Nigeria’s creative and broadcast industry through the establishment of regional production hubs in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin.
The development is projected to generate employment opportunities for content creators, editors, technicians, camera operators, sound engineers and other professionals within the media value chain.
The NBC stated that Nigeria’s final analogue switch-off remains scheduled for December 31, 2028, adding that citizens are encouraged to begin early preparation by checking decoder compatibility and downloading the FreeTV mobile application.
It further assured that the platform is designed to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind as the country completes its full migration to digital broadcasting.