Broadcasting
FG to Rake in $1Bn from Spectrum Sale on Completion of DSO
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, has said over one billion dollars would accrue to government from the sale of spectrum after completion of the Digital Switch Over (DSO).
The minister stated this yesterday in Abuja when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) flagship interview programme, NANForum.
The DSO is the process of transiting from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting and the country has set April 29 for the resumption of the roll out of the second phase in the remaining 31 states.
The first phase of the roll out had covered the Federal Capital Territory and the five states of Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara, Osun and Enugu.
Mohammed said when the process is completed and there is Analogue Switch Off (ASO), the spectrum band to be vacated by broadcasters would be ceded to the telecom regulatory agency for sale and use in the mobile broadband industries.
“The good side is that when there is analogue switch off, we will be able to sell to telecommunication companies the spectrum band that all of them were occupying which is worth over one billion dollars,’’ he said.
Mohammed, who said the DSO would change the entire creative industry ecosystem, pledged that government would ensure its successful completion.
He reiterated that the DSO project is capable of creating one million jobs in three years and generate huge revenue for the country.
According to him, with the approval of N9.4 billion by the Federal Government and the setting up of a 14-member ministerial task force to drive the process, the remaining 31 states will be successfully covered.
He promised that the reduction in government involvement in the DSO ecosystem and the opportunity given to the private sector to take the lead, on purely commercial terms, would not hamper the process.
The minister said government was already addressing the concerns raised by the Set-Top Box manufacturers on access to foreign exchange.
“Set-top boxes which is the decoder to transmit digital signal to homes is a critical component in the DSO process.
“We are pushing for the manufacturers for government to reduce to zero per cent duties payable to completely knock down products and reduce from 10 per cent to five per cent duties payable on semi knock down products.
“We have also asked them to give us a draft of what they want from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“The ministry will now officially communicate the CBN on their behalf asking that they should be given priority in access to Forex because of the amount of jobs they are capable of creating and the chain effect of a cheaper STB in the system
“We have also licensed another middleware company to crash the cost of the boxes,’’ he said
Mohammed said by creating a level playing ground for all the stakeholders and removing all the barriers, the cost of the boxes would be affordable to ordinary Nigerians.
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced the postponement of its maiden annual Public Relations, Reputation, Ideas, Concepts and Excellence (PRICE) Awards and Prizes to January 25, 2026.
NIPR
The event, earlier scheduled for December 7, 2025, was deferred to accommodate stakeholders whose observance of Christmas festivities had commenced earlier than expected.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Israel Opayemi, urged stakeholders to note the new date and prepare to participate in the ceremony.
He said the awards would motivate professionals, practitioners and scholars, while enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the public relations ecosystem and strengthening brand equity for all stakeholders.
Opayemi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class award administration and ceremony, describing the PRICE Awards as a credible and enduring platform to identify, celebrate and elevate outstanding individuals, campaigns and organisations shaping the public relations landscape across sectors.
The development of the PRICE Awards peaked in September 2025 when the NIPR President and Chairman, Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, inaugurated a 12-man committee to organise the maiden edition. The inauguration followed the Council’s adoption of the report of a technical team tasked with establishing the awards.
Netflix has announced a landmark agreement to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion, a move analysts say will reshape the global entertainment industry.
Netflix
The deal, which includes Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Games, was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each WBD share.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the acquisition as “a defining moment” for the streaming giant, noting that the company intends to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations while expanding its production capacity.
“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies with Netflix’s culture-defining titles, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling,” Sarandos said.
The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, following the planned spin-off of WBD’s TV networks division, Discovery Global, in 2026. Netflix projects annual cost savings of $2–3 billion by the third year after completion and expects the deal to be accretive to earnings per share by year two.
Industry groups, including the Directors Guild of America and Cinema United, have raised concerns about the impact on movie theaters, while regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal over antitrust issues. Netflix has pledged to continue supporting theatrical releases, with Warner Bros.’ cinema commitments running through 2029.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed the agreement, saying it “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love.”
Observers note that the acquisition comes 15 years after former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes dismissed Netflix as “the Albanian army,” underscoring the dramatic shift in the entertainment landscape.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
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