By Nigerians will begin enjoying access to more than 100 free-to-air television channels as the Federal Government launches FreeTV, a national digital television platform, on June 17, 2026.
The initiative, announced in a statement released on Monday, June 16, is part of Nigeria’s Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme and is aimed at expanding access to digital broadcasting across the country without monthly subscription fees.
According to the statement, FreeTV will provide households with access to over 100 national, regional, and state television channels, including news, sports, movies, music, children’s programmes, educational content, and dedicated channels in Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo languages.
“The service will be available through satellite, terrestrial transmission and the FreeTV mobile app, giving citizens access whether they live in major cities, towns, rural communities or areas that were not covered under earlier DSO pilot phases,” the statement added.
The government noted that Nigerians would not need to purchase new television sets to use the service, as existing televisions can function with compatible DVB-T2 or DVB-S2 decoders.
The statement further added that the launch forms part of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises inclusion, access to opportunities and job creation for citizens.
Speaking to the initiative, the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Charles Ebuebu, said the platform aligns with the administration’s vision of widening access to information and opportunities through digital technology.
“FreeTV speaks directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of Renewed Hope towards expanding access, creating opportunity and ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location or income, can benefit from the digital economy.
“With FreeTV, families across Nigeria can enjoy quality digital television without a monthly subscription, while our local content producers, technicians and young creatives gain new platforms and new jobs.”
The NBC also stated that the platform would support Nigeria’s creative and broadcast industry through regional production studios located in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, and Benin.
The initiative is expected to create employment opportunities for content creators, technicians, editors, camera operators, sound engineers, and other media professionals.
The federal government added that the final analogue television switch-off remains scheduled for December 31, 2028, and encouraged citizens to begin preparing for the transition by confirming the compatibility of their decoders and downloading the FreeTV mobile application.
