Court Halts NBC’s Effort to Terminate Nigeria’s Analogue-to-Digital TV Transition Contract

A High Court in Abuja has ordered the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to temporarily halt its move to terminate a contract related to Nigeria’s transition from analogue to digital television. The directive comes as part of an ongoing legal battle between NBC and six companies involved in the contract.

The court, presided over by Justice A.A. Ademu, ruled that both NBC and the involved companies must maintain the current status of the contract until the case is fully resolved. This order prevents any further action that could affect the contract until the court delivers a final ruling.

The dispute arose after the six companies, which had been granted licenses to manufacture Set Top Boxes for the transition, filed an ex-parte application to stop NBC from terminating their contract. The plaintiffs argued that NBC had initiated a policy for the digital switch-over in 2012, and the companies were granted exclusive rights for two years to recoup their investments after paying N50 million to NBC.

However, they claim NBC’s Director General announced a change in direction in August 2024, favoring Hybrid Android DTH Set Top Boxes with data connectivity, effectively sidelining their original contract.

In response, the court has now directed NBC to refrain from advertising new bids or granting new licenses for the transition process until the case is fully heard and determined. The case has been remitted to the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf, for reassignment.

The plaintiffs in the case include several licensed Set Top Box manufacturers, including Gospell Digital Technology Ltd and Trefonics Electronics, with NBC and Inview Technologies Ltd named as defendants.