Connect with us

General News

FG Offers to Support TStv to Relaunch with Pay per View Model

Published

on

Kindly share this post

National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has pledged to give necessary support to TStv Africa as the indigenous digital satellite TV service begins full operation with pay per view model on October 1, 2020.

FG Offers to Support TStv to Relaunch with Pay per View Model

Professor Armstrong Idachaba, acting director-general of NBC, made the promise on Monday in Abuja when the management team of TStv paid him an official visit.

The visit was to inform him of the company‘s readiness to commence full operation across the country on October 1.

TStv Africa is a wholly-owned Nigerian innovative multi-channel outfit which had promised to operate a pay per view model for the benefit of Nigerians.

Idachaba said: “We promise on our side that we will continue to support you.

“At this time, I think that the major issue confronting the PayTv sector is the area of giving Nigerians option of deregulating purchasing capacity in terms of pay as you go concept.

“We believe this will give you the visibility if you remain committed to the idea.

“We welcome that option and wish that it serves as a stimulant and as a progressive index for other pay-TV operators to adopt.

“Some of them have come up with a lot of excuses why pay per view is difficult and why it is not doable.

“We want you to be the galvaniser to prove the naysayers wrong that this is doable in the interest of Nigerians.

“Once you begin and you make a success of it through increased subscription base, we are sure that others will be drawn into it as it happened in the telecommunication sector.”

Idachaba said the NBC is committed to promoting local participation in the nation’s broadcasting industry, especially in the pay-TV sector, to create jobs and provide diversity for Nigerians.

He acknowledged the challenges TStv had faced over the years and encouraged the company to remain focused.

“We are aware that it has been very challenging for you.

“All over the world dominant players will always want to remain in a dominant position.

” Those who want to survive will also have to take the courage to do so,” he said.

The Acting Director-General, however, admonished the firm to refrain from any activity that would give Nigeria a bad name.

“If you are acquiring rights, you must make sure that your rights are legitimately acquired.

“You must make sure you follow the rules of engagement strictly, study the broadcasting code strictly to have a robust future ahead of you,” he said.

Earlier, Dr Echefu Bright, managing director and CEO of TStv, said they were at the NBC to seek the commission’s support to have a peaceful roll out on October 1.

He said the outfit also visited the NBC to officially present samples of its decoders to the commission and thank the management for its support.

Bright gave an assurance that the novel pay per view concept was sacrosanct.

“The model is what we have experimented and implemented and it works and we have done everything we need to do for it Nigerians to benefit.

“Beyond that, we have enough boxes on ground that will cover the entire country,” he said.

Bright also gave an assurance that with the Oct.1 roll out, every part of the country would be covered.

“We currently have a dealership in virtually every state in Nigeria and as I speak to you now our goods are already with them for October 1 rollout. The coverage from day one will be across Nigeria,”

On sports products, he said the firm has Laliga as well as the FA Cup and  Euro Cup 2021 rights.

 


Kindly share this post

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

General News

Coscharis Technologies, Huawei Unveil IdeaHub S3 Interactive Board in Nigeria

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Coscharis Technologies Limited, a leading Information Technology distribution company in the Sub-Saharan African market, in collaboration with Huawei, has officially launched the innovative Huawei IdeaHub S3 interactive board into the Nigerian market.

The unveiling ceremony, which attracted top industry stakeholders, partners, and technology enthusiasts, was held at the prestigious Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos, in the heart of Nigeria’s commercial hub.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Coscharis Technologies Limited, Dr. Sunday Mukoro, appreciated guests for attending and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to introducing cutting-edge technologies into the Nigerian market to accelerate the country’s technological advancement.

Dr. Mukoro described the Huawei IdeaHub S3 as a next-generation smart collaboration device equipped with advanced features designed to enhance productivity, communication, and digital collaboration across businesses, educational institutions, and organizations.

To further excite participants at the launch, he announced a special one-off 20 percent discount for early bird orders placed during the event.

Representing Huawei, Charles Chen, Huawei Nigeria eKit Manager, reiterated Huawei’s dedication to delivering world-class technology solutions tailored to modern workplace and learning environments. He emphasized that the IdeaHub S3 reflects Huawei’s continuous innovation in smart office and collaborative technologies.

The Huawei IdeaHub S3 is available in 65-inch, 75-inch, and 86-inch variants and comes loaded with several advanced features, including ergonomic design, ultra-low latency performance, 4K dual-lens camera with 5x zoom capability, and superior image quality with zero colour cast technology.

Other notable features include a 24-microphone array with up to 15-meter sound pickup range, high-fidelity stereo sound system, 4K soft light screen, intelligent tracking with auto-crop view, Acoustic Baffle 2.0 technology, ultrasonic projection, app multiplier functionality, and enhanced BYOM/BYOD collaboration capabilities.

The event climaxed with the formal unveiling of the Huawei IdeaHub S3, led by Dr. Sunday Mukoro alongside executives from Huawei and the Coscharis Huawei team, marking another milestone in the advancement of smart collaborative technology solutions in Nigeria

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

General News

Nigeria is World Bank’s Third-Largest Borrower with $18.5Bn – IDA

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Nigeria has retained its position as the third-largest borrower from the International Development Association (IDA), the concessional lending arm of the World Bank, despite a slight decline in its debt exposure in the first quarter of 2026.

Nigeria is World Bank’s Third-Largest Borrower with $18.5Bn - IDA

According to the IDA’s March 2026 financial statements, Nigeria’s exposure stood at $18.5 billion as of March 31, 2026, down marginally from $18.7 billion recorded at the end of December 2025.

The $200 million decline represents a 1.1 per cent reduction over the three-month period.

However, on a year-on-year basis, Nigeria’s debt exposure increased significantly by $1.2 billion, or 6.9 per cent, from $17.3 billion recorded in March 2025.

The latest ranking places Nigeria behind Bangladesh and Pakistan among the World Bank’s largest IDA borrowers.

Data from the report showed that Bangladesh remained the largest borrower with an exposure of $22.7 billion, followed by Pakistan with $19.2 billion, while Nigeria ranked third with $18.5 billion.

Other major African borrowers include Ethiopia with $14.4 billion, Tanzania with $14.3 billion, and Kenya with $13.2 billion in outstanding exposure.

The report also revealed that the IDA’s total loans outstanding stood at $230.8 billion as of March 31, 2026, slightly below the $231.1 billion recorded at the end of December 2025, reflecting a mild moderation in the institution’s lending portfolio.

According to the IDA, loans classified under non-accrual status represented only 0.4 per cent of the total portfolio, while provisions for potential loan losses amounted to $6.3 billion, equivalent to about 2.0 per cent of underlying exposures.

Nigeria’s exposure accounted for roughly eight per cent of the IDA’s total loan portfolio and approximately 13.3 per cent of the combined exposure represented by the institution’s ten largest borrowing countries.

The IDA noted that its ten largest country exposures collectively accounted for about 60 per cent of total portfolio exposure as of March 2026, highlighting the concentration of concessional lending among a relatively small number of developing economies.

Despite the slight quarter-on-quarter decline, Nigeria’s debt profile with the World Bank continues to trend upward over the longer term.

The report showed that Nigeria’s exposure rose from $17.3 billion in March 2025 to $18.5 billion in March 2026, underscoring the country’s increasing reliance on concessional financing to support development priorities and economic reforms.

Similarly, Ethiopia’s exposure increased from $13.2 billion to $14.4 billion over the same period, while Tanzania’s exposure rose from $12.6 billion to $14.3 billion.

Bangladesh’s debt exposure climbed from $21.2 billion to $22.7 billion, while Pakistan’s increased from $18.3 billion to $19.2 billion.

Ghana also recorded an increase from $7.1 billion to $7.4 billion.

Nigeria’s position among the top borrowers reflects the scale of its infrastructure, social investment, and reform financing needs under the World Bank’s concessional lending framework.

The Federal Government is also currently engaging the World Bank for additional financing support.

 

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

General News

NCAA Suspends ‘No Pay, No Service’ Policy Against Indebted Airlines

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has suspended plans to enforce its proposed “no pay, no service” policy against domestic airlines owing statutory charges, following consultations with operators and concerns over rising operational costs in the aviation sector.

Director-General of Civil Aviation, Chris Najomo, said the decision followed a review of prevailing challenges facing airlines, particularly the rising cost of Jet A1 aviation fuel.

The NCAA had earlier issued a memo on May 22 placing at least 11 domestic carriers on a “no pay, no service” list over outstanding debts owed to aviation agencies.

Affected airlines reportedly included Air Peace, Ibom Air, Overland Airways, Arik Air, United Nigeria Airlines, Max Air and Caverton Helicopters.

Industry sources said airlines immediately began discussions with the regulator after the directive was announced, leading to the temporary suspension of enforcement.

The NCAA clarified that the suspension did not amount to a cancellation or waiver of the debts, adding that all affected airlines remained responsible for settling their statutory obligations.

According to the authority, engagements with operators would continue to ensure compliance while avoiding disruptions to flight operations and passenger services.

The regulator also referenced earlier intervention measures approved by President Bola Tinubu, including a 30 per cent discount on outstanding charges owed by domestic airlines to aviation agencies.

The measure, it said, was introduced to cushion the impact of high aviation fuel costs and stabilise the sector.

The NCAA defended the five per cent Ticket and Cargo Sales Charge imposed on airlines, describing it as a statutory levy established under Nigeria’s Civil Aviation Act.

“The charge is not part of airline revenue or operating profit and should not be treated as such,” the authority stated.

It added that the agency operates largely on a cost-recovery basis and depends on remittances from operators to sustain regulatory oversight and aviation safety functions.

According to the NCAA, suspending the enforcement action was intended to balance regulatory compliance with the need to maintain operational stability in the aviation industry.

The authority reaffirmed its commitment to recovering all outstanding debts while supporting the long-term sustainability of domestic airline operations.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending