{
  "id": 2035751,
  "title": "NBC Outlines Opportunities for Film Producers Under Digital Switch Over Initiative",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/nbc-outlines-opportunities-for-film-producers-under-digital-switch",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-19T23:04:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/08/20/nbc-outlines-opportunities-for-film-producers-under-digital-switch-over-initiative/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in Nigeria has provided a roadmap for film producers as the country embarks on its Digital Switch Over (DSO) program. During a seminar in Lagos, Head of the DSO Office, Clementine Usman-Wamba, elaborated on the opportunities and responsibilities for producers alongside the technical transition from analogue to digital broadcasting.\n\nUsman-Wamba emphasized that DSO is not merely a technical shift but a profound cultural and economic transformation. The initiative seeks to increase access to content, elevate its quality, and foster the growth of Nigeria’s creative economy. It aims for universal access via hybrid satellite and IP delivery systems, promotes culturally relevant programming, and promises significant economic gains. These include an estimated N5 trillion contribution to the GDP, the creation of 2.7 million jobs by 2030, and a potential $100 billion revenue from the initiative.\n\nKey opportunities for film producers include fulfilling the NBC’s 60 percent local content mandate on FreeTV channels, which is expected to boost demand for productions in various Nigerian languages such as Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo. Producers can also earn revenue through the FreeTV App marketplace using advertising, sponsorships, and merchandising. Currently, over 90 movies are available on the Video-on-Demand service, with monetisation features set to be introduced in the future.\n\nUsman-Wamba also introduced the NBC’s ViewTrack audience measurement system, which boasts 94 percent accuracy. This tool will provide producers with real-time data on viewer behavior. Furthermore, the initiative plans to establish six regional studios in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, and Benin to facilitate content creation nearer to local communities. The transition from Free-to-View to Free-to-Air is expected to dismantle encryption barriers, broaden reach, and cut distribution costs for producers.\n\nHowever, producers must also navigate challenges such as piracy, infrastructure gaps in rural areas, and the need to uphold high production standards in a competitive digital landscape. To address these issues, Usman-Wamba encouraged producers to embrace digital tools and analytics, collaborate with the NBC, and view their work as a contribution to national development. She concluded by affirming that producers are at the forefront of Nigeria’s digital transformation, and their creativity will be pivotal in shaping the nation’s digital future.",
  "summary": "Emma Okonji The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has outlined opportunities and responsibilities for film producers as Nigeria advances its Digital Switch Over (DSO) programme across the country. Head of the",
  "key_points": [
    "NBC outlines opportunities for film producers under Digital Switch Over initiative.",
    "60% local content mandate on FreeTV channels to boost demand for productions.",
    "ViewTrack audience measurement system provides real-time data on viewer behavior."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}