Broadcasting
FG Mandates Review of National Broadcasting Codes
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the review of the National Broadcasting Code and extant broadcasting laws to reflect stiffer penalties for violators of broadcasting regulations.
The President has also endorsed the implementation of reforms to end all forms of monopoly detrimental to the actualisation of the immense potential of the broadcast industry.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja while inaugurating the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Reform Implementation Committee.
Specifically, the minister said that the President approved the upward review of fines from N500,000 to N5 million for breaches relating to hate speeches, inciting comments and indecency.
He said the President also approved that wilful repeat of infractions on three occasions after levying fine on a station should attract suspension of license.
The minister said Buhari also approved the upgrade of breach of political comments relating to hate speeches and divisive comments to ”Class A” offence in the Broadcasting Code.
Other approvals by the President according to the minister are: “Amendments of the NBC Act to enable NBC license WebTv and radio stations, including foreign broadcasters beaming signals into Nigeria.
“Recruitment of more monitoring staff for the NBC, at the moment, there are only about 200 Staff monitoring about 1,000 radio and television stations.
“Deployment of adequate monitoring equipment and technologies for the NBC and enhancement of welfare packages of NBC staff to avoid their compromise in the line of duty’.
The President, according to the minister, said that the reviewed code must also ensure the Independence of the NBC from political interference in the exercise of its regulatory powers, particularly with respect to the issuance and withdrawal of broadcasting license.
Mohammed said the decisions were sequel to the deliberations at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of March 27, on the unprofessional and unethical conduct of some broadcast stations, especially before and during the last general elections.
” The President directed me to institute an inquiry into the conduct of the stations and report back to the Council.
“Consequently, I inaugurated a five-member committee on Wednesday, April 10th 2019 with the following terms of reference:
“To find out to what extent the NBC was able to effectively carry out its regulatory role before and during the 2019 general elections.
“Recommend measures that could strengthen the NBC’s regulatory role and make it more effective.
“The committee submitted its report on April 24th 2019, with 26 recommendations, and I subsequently forwarded the report to Mr. President, who has since approved them,” he said.
The minister, therefore charged the reform implementation committee to carry out a thorough job that will re-position the NBC as an effective and efficient regulator.
‘We are now at the implementation stage, hence I have appointed seven ‘wise’ men and woman to design the framework for the implementation,” he said.
The minister said that the terms of reference of the committee included the implementation of the recommendations of the committee on the NBC reforms as approved by the President.
He said the committee should immediately commence work on all statutory, legal and regulatory frameworks for further legislative action on the review of the NBC Act by the National Assembly.
The minister tasked the committee to immediately establish and publicize a new sanctioning, fines and penalty regime that is in line with international best practice,.
He said the new penalty regime would also help to promote professionalism and serve as a deterrent to erring practitioners against misconduct, especially hate speech, violence and spread of fake news.
Mohammed tasked the committee to establish and publish a new regulation for the licensing of Web and Internet broadcasters/International broadcasters in Nigeria.
He said the committee should immediately assess and propose equipment, materials and training needed to make the NBC a modern and well-positioned regulator.
‘The committee should liaise with relevant agencies to ensure the provision of the manpower needs of the Commission to enable it function optimally.
“It should work out the modalities for competitive and reasonable salaries, wages and other welfare needs of the staff of the Commission.
“Establish necessary protocols for the establishment or appointment of professionals or technocrats (non-partisan personality) to run the agency, and appointment into the board of the NBC.”
The minister also directed the committee to end all forms of monopoly detrimental to the actualization of the immense potential of the broadcast industry.
The minister gave the committee chaired by Prof. Armstrong Idachaba, Director of Monitoring of the NBC, six weeks to submit its report.
Other members of the committee are, Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa, Acting Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON),
Mr Agbo Ndubuisi, Board Member, NBC and Mr J.K. Ehicheoya, Director, Legal Services in the Ministry.
Others are, Hajia Binta Bello, Secretary, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria Mr. Ibrahim Jimoh, Director of Administration, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and Mr. Joe Mutah, Chief Press Secretary to the minister who will serve as the Secretary.
Broadcasting
NBC Files Fresh Appeal against Judgment Barring it from Imposing Fines on Broadcast Stations
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has filed an application seeking the permission of the court of appeal to file a fresh appeal against the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja barring it from imposing fines on erring broadcast stations.
In the application filed at the court of appeal in Abuja by Dapo Akinosun, counsel to the NBC, the commission argued sanity in Nigeria’s broadcasting sector is under threat and that the public interest would be better served if the court grants the application.
On January 17, 2024, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, a judge at the federal high court in Abuja, restrained the NBC from imposing a N5 million fine on broadcast stations sanctioned in 2022 over allegations of “undermining Nigeria’s national security by broadcasting documentaries on banditry in Nigeria”.
The affected broadcast stations were Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DSTV; TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV); Trust-TV Network Limited; and NTA StarTimes Limited.
The suit was filed by Media Rights Agenda (MRA).
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the NBC appealed the judgement filed an appeal at the court of appeal in Abuja.
In June, the court of appeal dismissed the commission’s appeal, holding that it was “fundamentally defective” and incompetent.
Jane Inyang, lead judge of the panel, held that the parties before the lower court were identified as “Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda (as applicant) and National Broadcasting Commission (as respondent)” but in the notice of appeal the purported appellant was described as the “Nigerian Broadcasting Commission”,
The judge held that the discrepancy was significant and that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the commission’s appeal.
In the application, the NBC urged the court to grant it leave to raise and argue a fresh issue on appeal relating to the legal capacity of MRA to institute and maintain the original suit before the lower court.
The commission argued that the defect in the earlier notice of appeal, which resulted in the dismissal of its appeal, arose “solely from an inadvertent misdescription” of its name by its lawyer.
The NBC told the court that the subsisting judgement raises questions on the commission’s statutory powers to regulate broadcasting and enforce compliance with broadcasting standards in Nigeria.
The commission argued that the subsisting judgment is capable of creating uncertainty regarding its regulatory powers if it is allowed to stand.
The NBC also argued that without the pronouncement by the appellate court on the issues raised in the appeal, its regulatory framework would be weakened.
“A weakened regulatory framework may embolden non-compliance with established broadcasting standards, thereby increasing the dissemination of false, misleading and unverified information capable of causing unnecessary public anxiety, panic and social unrest,” the NBC said.
“Absence of effective regulatory oversight may further encourage irresponsible broadcasting practices and the misuse of broadcast and digital media platforms by persons who deliberately publish sensational, inaccurate or inflammatory content to intimidate, harass or unduly influence individuals, institutions and public discourse.”
David Adedeji Adeleke, known professionally as Davido, has shared his past suicidal thoughts as he dropped Oriadé, his sixth studio album yesterday.
Davido
Davido said he chose the date on purpose as it marks exactly 15 years since he began his professional music career.
Oriadé is a Yoruba word combining “Ori,” meaning destiny, and “Adé,” meaning crown.
It translates to “the crowned head.” The album has 13 tracks and features Black Sherif, Aya Nakamura, Leon Thomas, Mayorkun, and Llona.
It follows his 2025 project, 5ive, which reached number two on the Billboard World Albums chart.
Davido also announced an international tour to support the new record.
In the days leading up to the release, Davido gave interviews that revealed personal details about his past and his current life.
Speaking to Vibe Magazine on Thursday, he described a 2014 incident in Ghana that left him feeling suicidal.
He said he invited a woman back to his hotel room after a show, and she later posted a photo of him sleeping online.
He said the fallout overwhelmed him.
“My daddy was calling me. My sisters were calling me. If I saw the balcony that day, I would have jumped,” he said.
He said he was young at the time and did not fully understand the consequences of his actions.
He described the experience as a turning point that changed how he thinks about privacy and fame.
In the same interview, he explained why he often dresses down in public despite his wealth.
He recalled a trip to the South of France where he went out in shorts and slippers without his watch.
“I’ve been on jets, I’ve been flying, I’ve been in all these places since I was a baby. I’ve been seeing money since I was a baby. So all these things don’t really excite me,” he said.
He added that he sometimes prefers to drive a Toyota to the supermarket in Atlanta instead of one of his luxury cars.
In a separate livestream with Davrel, Davido spoke about how his life has changed since marrying his wife, Chioma, and becoming a father.
He said his home no longer holds the large crowds it once did.
“I can no longer have 100 people in my house like before,” he said.
He said he speaks to Chioma every day regardless of his schedule.
He also disclosed that he spends between $200,000 and $300,000 a month on himself, not including costs for his wife, children, jewelry and cars.
He said the amount is lower when he is in the United States, where he described his lifestyle as quieter.
Africa Prudential Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to digital transformation, revenue diversification and sustainable growth after reporting a strong financial performance for the first half of 2026.
Dr Catherine Nwosu
The company made this known during its H1 2026 Investor Call, which brought together institutional investors, shareholders, investment analysts, regulators and other stakeholders to review its financial performance and strategic outlook.
Dr Catherine Nwosu, managing director and Chief Executive Officer of Africa Prudential, said the company’s performance reflected the resilience of its business model and the effectiveness of its long-term growth strategy despite prevailing macroeconomic challenges.
According to the company’s financial results, gross earnings rose by 27 per cent year-on-year to N4.28 billion, from N3.34 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit before tax increased by 22 per cent to N2.41 billion, while profit after tax grew by 18 per cent to N1.59 billion.
The company also reported a 27 per cent rise in net operating income to N4.21 billion, while total assets increased by 13 per cent to N46.53 billion.
Shareholders’ funds equally rose by 13 per cent to N12.52 billion, reflecting continued financial strength.
Management attributed the performance to sustained growth in its core registrar business, increased corporate action activities in the Nigerian capital market, improved treasury earnings and rising adoption of its technology-driven solutions.
The company said it was steadily transforming from a traditional share registrar into a broader technology and business solutions provider serving Nigeria’s capital market ecosystem.
During the interactive session, investors sought clarification on the sustainability of earnings, particularly as interest rates are expected to moderate.
Responding, Nwosu said the company was deliberately expanding its recurring fee-based revenue streams to reduce dependence on treasury income.
“Interest rates influence our treasury income positively, but that is why we are deliberately diversifying our revenue streams.
“Our strategy is to grow recurring fee-based business lines such as our digital solutions, Know Your Customer (KYC) services, Annual General Meeting (AGM) technology, probate services and the SabiVest mobile app.
“Over time, this will reduce our reliance on interest income and create a more balanced and resilient earnings mix,” she said.
Nwosu noted that increasing capital market activities had created stronger demand for seamless digital investor experiences, improved operational efficiency and enhanced compliance solutions.
She said the company would continue investing in technology-enabled products capable of delivering long-term value to shareholders while strengthening its competitive position.
According to her, Africa Prudential has identified five strategic priorities for the second half of 2026.
The priorities include driving sustainable growth across its core registrar and emerging business lines, accelerating technology-led product innovation, strengthening brand leadership, investing in talent development and deepening corporate governance.
She said the investor engagement demonstrated the company’s commitment to transparency, accountability and regular engagement with shareholders and the investment community.
Africa Prudential reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging innovation, operational excellence and sound financial management to sustain growth and strengthen its leadership position in Nigeria’s capital market.
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