Broadcasting
Nigeria-USA Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) Hosts its 1ST International Virtual Trade & Investment Summit
The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) says that an estimated 931 million tons of food, or 17 percent of total food available to consumers in 2019, went into waste, that is, at the retail and home levels.
FAO confirms that 14 percent of the World’s food is lost from post-harvest up to (but not including) the retail level, saying, “As we improve our estimates, we will know whether the order of magnitude of the problem is comparable to earlier estimates of around 1/3 of the World’s food lost or wasted every year.”
It indicates that the loss is more pronounced in developing economies with poor facilities for proper harvest, transportation, cold chain and storage facilities.
In Nigeria, according to the former Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, about 30 percent to 40 percent of food crops produced in Nigeria were ultimately lost and wasted.
It is in addressing the problem of food processing and preservation in Nigeria that the Nigeria-USA Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC) is hosting its 1st Virtual International Trade and Investment Summit.
The virtual Summit, hosted in collaboration with the Collaborative Chambers Alliance (CCA), a 18-member Chambers of Commerce group and the Cleveland Public Library is scheduled visually on October 27, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Keynote Speaker at the invitation-only event is Dr. ABC Orjiako, a Nigerian industrialist with vested interests in almost all sectors of Nigerian economy including Oil and Gas.
He is the Chairman of Seplat Energy, Plc, the only Nigerian company listed on the British Stock Exchange and based in Ikoyi- Lagos Other special guests and speakers include, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the United States,
Dr. Mrs. Uzoma Emenike and Alhaji Sani Dangote, President /Vice President Nigeria Agribusiness Group/Dangote Group Plc. President, Collaborative Chambers Alliance (CCA), Mr. David Nedrich, and Executive Director, Greater Cleveland Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Su He, Esq.
Nigerian food processing and preservation businesses cover a series of industrial activities directed at the processing, conversion, preparation, preservation, and packaging of foodstuffs for human consumption. There are several companies involved in the processing of food products in Nigeria, each having different specialization.
Speaking about the event the CEO of NUSACC, Mr. Lee Kareem said that about 200 participants representing various Nigerian entrepreneurs and those seeking information about the processing and packing of Nigerian food products to international markets especially to the United States are anticipated to attend the virtual summit.
He remarked that the Nigeria-USA Chamber of Commerce has hosted 5 summits since its inception, and this is the first to be hosted virtually.
He anticipated that the outcome of the summit will stimulate knowledge and interest in the Nigerian agricultural – food processing and preservation sectors looking outward to generate foreign exchange in a country that is heavily dependent on export of petroleum resources for its foreign exchange.
Mr. Kareem explained that NUSACC is a member of Collaborative Chambers Alliance (CCA) comprising of more than 18-member Chambers of Commerce in Ohio and International Chambers such like the Chinese American, French American, British American, Swedish American Chambers of Commerce that are involved in the activities of the Chambers, meaning that it is open land mine for exploration by exporters and entrepreneurs in Nigeria and the United States wishing to collaborate and do business.
Mrs. Clementine Wamba, head, Digital Switch Over (DSO) at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has stressed the need for broadcasting stations and practitioners nationwide to work towards meeting the 2028 global deadline for the switch over.
She made the call in her presentation titled, “DSO Big Picture: Free TV Audience Measurement and the Evolving Media Landscape”, at the 2026 NBC South West Summit held in Ibadan.
Wamba harped on the need for practitioners to adopt DSO in the transmission of news and other programmes in order to meet future challenges, stating that any country that fail to align with the DSO by 2028 will be shut out of practice.
This development, according to her, may result in job losses and other consequences that could hinder the growth of the industry in Nigeria, noting that Free TV is tailored towards the DSO, with provision for many channels in contrast to the age-long analogue system.
According to her, “The Digital Switch Over is a technological improvement on the age-long analogue style of broadcasting in the country. With the adoption of the DSO, practitioners will be in tune with global practice of broadcast journalism.
“Also, its benefits include efficient use of spectrum, changing of industry landscape, more access to national development programmes and better viewing experience.”
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said that Nigerians will no longer pay annual Digital Access Fees under the renewed Digital Switch Over (DSO) project.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja,
Ebuebu said viewers only need to purchase an approved decoder and satellite dish which cost below N20,000 to enjoy free television permanently.
“Previously, users paid an annual digital access fee of about N1,500, described as an administrative charge.
“The new system removes that annual fee. It provides free access to free-to-air television channels without any payment.
“Premium channels will be introduced later. Viewers who want those additional channels will be able to access them through paid services.
“Nigerian content on free-to-air channels remains free to watch. Unlike Pay TV, this platform does not require monthly subscriptions for its basic service,” he said
Ebuebu said approved decoders for the FreeTV will cost less than N20,000 and authorised sales outlets will soon be announced.
He urged Nigerians to wait for official information on approved dealers for the DSO decoders, warning that unauthorised sellers are exploiting growing public demand.
He reiterated that people only need a free-to-air decoder, along with a satellite dish instead of the old antenna system to receive the DSO signal.
“Once the equipment is installed, viewers can access all available channels across the country without paying any subscription fees,” he stressed
The DG dismissed claims by some retailers that there are different categories of decoders sold at varying prices, stressing that such sellers are not authorised by the commission.
According to him, the NBC will soon publish the list of approved dealers, official prices, and locations where genuine decoder boxes and accessories can be purchased.
The NBC boss said the DSO project is designed not only to improve television broadcasting but also to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs, attracting investment, and opening up opportunities for businesses that support the broadcasting industry.
Ebuebu noted that content producers and broadcasters stand to benefit significantly from the nationwide reach of the DSO platform.
Unlike the previous system, where many stations had limited regional audiences, he said the new platform will make their channels available to viewers across Nigeria.
He added that the introduction of audience measurement technology will provide scientific and reliable data on television viewership.
Ebuebu added that audience measurement technology will give advertisers greater confidence in placing adverts and enable broadcasters to demonstrate the true size and reach of their audiences nationwide.
Uchenna Mbunabo, Nigerian filmmaker, has raised concerns over the alleged unauthorised broadcast of Nollywood films by some Ghanaian television stations, calling on Ghana’s National Film Authority (NFA) to strengthen the enforcement of copyright laws.
Uchenna Mbunabo, Nigerian filmmaker
Mbunabo made the remarks during a conversation with James Gardiner, deputy CEO of the National Film Authority (NFA) of Ghana.
He questioned whether it was permissible for television stations in Ghana to download Nigerian movies from YouTube and air them without obtaining permission from the producers.
“I noticed that Ghanaian TV stations, the way they are stealing our films and showing them for free with impunity. Is it legalised in your country for TV stations to go on YouTube, download people’s sweat and show it for free?”
According to Mbunabo, some Ghanaian television stations have been downloading newly released Nollywood films from YouTube and broadcasting them without authorisation, depriving producers of revenue generated through the platform.
He also stated that he had not witnessed Nigerian television stations engaging in similar practices and questioned what measures Ghana was taking to protect filmmakers’ intellectual property.
Responding to the concerns, Gardiner acknowledged that the issue exists and said the National Film Authority had begun engaging relevant stakeholders to address it.
He disclosed that the NFA has held discussions with the Ministry of Communications, the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) on improving copyright enforcement.
Gardiner explained that while Ghana has copyright laws, enforcement remains challenging because many television stations now operate digitally and may not have physical offices within the country.
“There are copyright laws, but they are not effective because a lot of the TV stations don’t have offices. Most of them are now digital, so they operate from anywhere. They can even have a Ghanaian TV station but be operating from Austria simply because it is digital.”
He added that authorities are considering a new licensing framework that would require broadcasters to undergo a fresh licensing process to improve monitoring and enforcement.
According to Gardiner, television stations found guilty of illegally broadcasting copyrighted content would be required to compensate affected producers through fines.
He added that repeat offenders could face suspension of their broadcasting licences, while a third violation could result in the revocation of their licences.
Although he did not provide a specific timeline, Gardiner said the reforms were already underway and expressed hope that significant progress would be seen next year.
Mbunabo welcomed the proposed measures but urged the National Film Authority to expedite the process, stating that unauthorised broadcasts continue to affect filmmakers’ ability to recover production costs through legitimate distribution channels such as YouTube.
He also stressed that his comments were not directed at Ghana’s film industry, noting that he has worked with several Ghanaian actors over the years and supports collaborations between Nollywood and Ghallywood.
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