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FG Generates N34bn From DSO Spectrum Sale

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The Federal Government
says it has generated N34 billion from sale of one-third of the spectrum for the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.
The Vice Chairman of Cable Channel Nig. Ltd (CCNL), Mohammed Bawa, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at a workshop organised for stakeholders on Digital Switch Over (DSO)
The  workshop was organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture to educate stakeholders on the UK experience on DSO.
Bawa, who is also a DSO content aggregator and owner of Free TV, said the funds realised and that being expected would be ploughed back to finance the switch over project.
He said the situation was different from the UK experience where broadcasters financed their DSO.
He said, in the UK, the broadcasters financed the project, but in Nigeria, we are trying to use the digital dividends to finance the project.
“At the moment, the one-third of the spectrum that had been sold, generated N34 billion and I believed that when the remaining two-third are sold, we will be able to generate more funds’.
He commended the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed for inviting the former Director of DSO in the UK, Alex Pumfrey to the workshop to share her experience with participants,“the workshop enlightened stakeholders in the digital process in Nigeria and gave us the background on how the UK transformed from analogue to digital.
“We are using the workshop to take stock and see how we are doing at the moment.
“We have noticed some difference from their platforms and the one we have in Nigeria.
“We were also briefed on the challenges they had which we will use as guide to forestall such challenges,’’ he said.
Bawa also observed that there was the need for stakeholders to engage in vigorous enlightenment campaign on DSO taking cue from the UK experience, “from what we were told, the UK placed about 200 advertisements weekly to create awareness.
“At the moment, we are a far cry from that and we need to let people know about the project. We must intensify advertisement for people to know what we are doing,’’ he said.
The Chairman of the Set-Top Box Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Godfrey Ohuabunwa said that the workshop was to show stakeholders the pitfalls and gains in the process so far.
Ohuabunwa suggested that in addressimg the challenge of funding, Nigeria could take cue from UK where the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) funded the project through TV licence fee.
According to him, the local government areas can come together to fund the DSO, because at the end of the day, they will be the ones to collect TV licence fee through the set-top boxes.
“The BBC spent less than one billion Pound for the DSO and they got back about 10 billion pounds at the end of the day”, he added.
Ohuabunwa said that four of the licensed firms for local production of set-top boxes would soon take off after clearing their equipment from the port.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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