Broadcasting
UK Adds Nigeria to Red List Over Omicron Variant
The United Kingdom has added Nigeria to its red list in an effort to restrict the spread of Omicron, a variant of Coronavirus.
A statement from UK Consulate in Nigeria, said that “from 4am on Monday 6 December, UK and Irish citizens and residents arriving from Nigeria must isolate in a Government-approved managed quarantine facility for 10 days, and receive two negative PCR tests, as further precautionary action is taken against the Omicron variant.
“Currently, the majority of cases in the UK have clear links to overseas travel from South Africa and Nigeria, and over the past week 21 reported Omicron cases in England originating from Nigeria.
“A temporary travel ban will therefore be introduced for all non-UK and non-Irish citizens and residents who have been in Nigeria in the last 10 days, meaning they will be refused entry into the UK.
This does not apply to those who have stayed airside and only transited through Nigeria while changing flights.
“Travellers from Nigeria are still able to transit English airports, provided they have the necessary transit visa. For more information about transiting through the UK from a red list country please visit: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-air-travel-guidance-for-passengers
Speaking about the decision Catriona Laing, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, said: “I know that this decision will have a significant impact on people in both our countries, particularly at this time of year.
“This decision is a precautionary measure to protect public health in the UK, whilst we try to understand this new variant.
“We continue to work very closely with the Nigerian authorities in tackling the pandemic and commend their ongoing work.”
These additional measures, the statement further stated, are “vital to delay the import of additional cases and slow the rise in cases within the UK. However, as the Prime Minister set out on 27 November, the UK Government will review all temporary measures after three weeks to ensure that they remain necessary and proportionate, and this will take place on 20 December.
“Last weekend, 10 countries were added to the red list and it was announced that all vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK must take a day 2 PCR test and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. Since then, the geographical spread of Omicron has increased considerably, with 37 countries around the world now reporting Omicron cases and over 134 cases identified in the UK.
“New analysis conducted by the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) indicates that the window between infection and infectiousness may be shorter for the Omicron variant, which increases the efficacy of pre-departure testing as it is more likely to identify positive cases before travel.
“The UKHSA continues to monitor the situation closely, in partnership with scientific and public health organisations across the world, and Government is working collaboratively with the WHO and countries around the world to better understand the new variant and possible mitigations.
“Given the reduced incubation period of the Omicron variant, passengers are advised to take the pre-departure test as close as possible to their scheduled departure to the UK and no earlier than 48 hours before travelling.
“Anyone arriving from Nigeria before 4am Monday 6 December, will be advised and strongly encouraged to isolate at home for 10 days from the beginning of their arrival in England. Their household should also self-isolate for 10 days with them. Affected individuals will be contacted and offered free PCR tests to be taken on day 8 after their arrival.
Travellers should not attempt to travel to the UK from a red list country without a Managed Quarantine Service (MQS) booking, as they will not be able to board a flight and could be subject to a Fixed Penalty Notice at the UK border.
“You must book your managed quarantine package before you travel to England using the booking portal administered by Corporate Travel Management (CTM). A link to the CTM booking portal can be found on: www.gov.uk/guidance/booking-and-staying-in-a-quarantine-hotel-when-you-arrive-in-england.
“The Managed Quarantine Service has contracted several new hotels to enter service this week, in response to the likely numbers of UK residents who will want to travel from Nigeria before Christmas.
“Our advice is to keep checking the CTM website as there are significant number of cancellations happening which will free up rooms”.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said that its planned Digital Switch-Over (DSO) project will create access to Nigeria’s N605.2 billion advertising market for broadcasters and content creators.
Speaking at a press conference, Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, said the project is expected to officially launch nationwide on June 17, 2026, while analogue television broadcasting will completely end by December 31, 2028.
According to him, the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting will help government agencies deliver better television services across Nigeria in a way that is sustainable, reliable, and easier to regulate.
Ebuebu explained that digital broadcasting will allow broadcasters and content creators to earn more revenue because audience data can be measured more accurately.
He also said the project could benefit the economy through the release of valuable 700/800 MHz spectrum, which may generate more than $1 billion from future auctions.
The funds are expected to support digital infrastructure and expand broadband access in rural communities.
NBC added that Nigeria’s creative industry, which contributes about N5 trillion to GDP and supports more than 4.2 million jobs, could benefit from improved content distribution and export opportunities across West Africa using NigComSat-1R.
For consumers, NBC said the FreeTV service will not require monthly subscription payments. Households will only need a small satellite dish and an open-standard DVB-S2 decoder, estimated to cost between N15,000 and N25,000.
Broadcasters were encouraged to join the FreeTV platform and take advantage of an 18-month free carriage period.
However, the Commission noted that there is still an ongoing legal dispute involving local manufacturers over set-top boxes, although officials said this will not stop the national rollout.
On satellite expansion plans, Jane Egerton-Idehen, managing director and CEO, Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited, said NIGCOMSAT 2A is expected in 2028, while NIGCOMSAT 2B is planned for 2029.
She added that backup arrangements have already been made to ensure uninterrupted service and that migration to the new system will happen gradually across different regions to avoid nationwide disruptions.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has unveiled a new “Big Picture” strategy aimed at achieving full nationwide Digital Switch-Over (DSO) by December 31, 2028.
DSOis designed to provide Nigerians with superior picture and sound quality while unlocking an estimated N605.2 billion in advertising revenue and generating over $1 billion from digital spectrum auctions.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general of NBC, in a statement issued on Monday, said the revised strategy adopts a converged broadcasting model combining Direct-to-Home (DTH), Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and Internet Protocol (IP) systems to expand access to digital television services nationwide.
The Commission also announced June 17, 2026, as the official national launch date for the renewed rollout, describing the framework as a more practical pathway toward a sustainable and affordable digital broadcasting system after nearly two decades of delays.
Ebuebu, said that the transition is no longer being treated as a competition between technologies but as a unified access solution tailored to Nigeria’s geographic and infrastructure realities.
“The Big Picture strategy recognises convergence as the future of broadcasting and aligns with the 2012 DSO White Paper, which adopted both terrestrial and satellite standards including DVB-T and DVB-S2 technologies,” the statement said.
NBC said the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) would play a central role in national content distribution, particularly in underserved and remote areas where terrestrial infrastructure remains weak.
The Commission cited countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Kenya, South Africa and Morocco as examples of jurisdictions that successfully adopted hybrid digital broadcasting models to accelerate migration from analogue systems.
On affordability, NBC assured Nigerians that the proposed FreeTV platform would remain subscription-free for baseline access, adding that compatible DVB-S2 decoders currently cost between N15,000 and N25,000. It said discussions were ongoing on possible subsidy arrangements and financing options for low-income households.
The regulator also defended its plan to support both local manufacturing and transitional importation of set-top boxes, noting that Nigeria would require millions of devices over several years to complete the migration.
Beyond transmission, NBC disclosed plans to introduce a national audience measurement system under the GARB ratings framework to improve advertising transparency and broadcasting analytics.
It projected that the DSO programme could unlock Nigeria’s estimated N605.2 billion advertising market while also freeing up valuable digital dividend spectrum estimated at over $1 billion.
NBC further said Nigeria’s creative industry, valued at about N5 trillion and employing more than 4.2 million people, stands to benefit from expanded distribution channels and improved content monetisation.
Broadcasters, it added, would enjoy free carriage on the platform for 18 months, alongside wider national reach, indigenous language channels and improved commercial opportunities.
Association of Licensed Set-Top Box Manufacturers of Nigeria (STBMAN) has warned that the unilateral implementation transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, could trigger confusion, legal disputes, and disruptions capable of undermining the credibility of the 2027 general election.
STBMAN urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene and halt what it described as a unilateral implementation process, pending wider consultations with stakeholders in the broadcasting industry.
Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa, chairman of the association in statement in Abuja, faulted the current implementation process by the National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC).
STBMAN said that although it supports Nigeria’s digital migration programme, the approach currently being pursued by the NBC appeared rushed and inconsistent with the 2012 Digital Switchover (DSO) White Paper approved by the Federal Executive Council.
The association argued that the arrangement being presented as a Digital Switchover was merely the aggregation of channels on NigComSat platforms rather than a fully Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) migration as originally envisioned under the national DSO framework.
According to the group, failure to carry critical stakeholders along could erode public confidence, weaken access to information, and create avoidable disruptions in the broadcasting sector at a politically sensitive period ahead of the 2027 elections.
It noted that millions of Nigerians still depend on free-to-air broadcasting for information dissemination, civic education, election coverage,e and public enlightenment.
The group stressed that any poorly coordinated migration process could result in signal disruptions, public confusion, and unequal access to information during the election season.
STBMAN also expressed concern that the NBC risked creating a conflict of interest by acting simultaneously as regulator and content aggregator, contrary to the spirit of the 2012 White Paper and global best practices guiding digital broadcasting migration.
The association, therefore, called for an urgent national stakeholders’ roundtable, an independent legal and technical review of the DSO process, review and update of the 2012 DSO White Paper, nationwide public sensitisation on the implications of digital migration, and measures to protect local broadcasting and public interest.
It maintained that it was not opposed to digital migration but insisted that the process must be transparent, inclusive, lawful, and technically sound.
The group warned that failure to properly manage the transition could weaken democratic communication structures, waste public resources, and negatively affect national cohesion and the credibility of the 2027 elections.
“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,” the statement added.
Association of Licensed Set-Top Box Manufacturers of Nigeria, represents domestic electronics manufacturers responsible for producing the decoder boxes needed for the country’s transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.
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