Public affairs analyst and businessman, Godfrey Ohuabunwa, has cautioned against the planned migration from analogue to digital broadcasting ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that the process could create confusion and national tension if not properly handled.
Ohuabunwa raised the concern in a statement on Wednesday while reacting to the planned digital switchover being coordinated by the National Broadcasting Commission.
According to him, the current implementation strategy appears rushed and inconsistent with the 2012 Digital Switchover White Paper earlier approved by the Federal Executive Council.
The analyst argued that the proposed transition was merely an aggregation of channels on NigComSat platforms and not a full Digital Terrestrial Television migration as originally outlined in Nigeria’s digital broadcasting framework.
Ohuabunwa, who is also the chairman of the Association of Licensed Set-Top Box Manufacturers of Nigeria, urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and prevent what he described as looming confusion in the broadcasting sector.
“Mr President, Nigeria cannot afford confusion in its broadcasting system at a time the nation is preparing for another critical democratic transition. The time to act is now,” he stated.
He warned that any poorly coordinated transition could pose serious risks to information dissemination and public communication ahead of the 2027 polls.
The NBC had earlier announced 2027 as the target year for Nigeria’s complete migration from analogue to digital broadcasting.
