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The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on Friday, ordered that the African Independent Television (AIT), Silverbird Television (STV) and 50 other broadcasting stations owned by states governments and private ventures be shut down within the next 24 hours over debts in excess of N2.6 billion.
“In May 2022, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) published in the national dailies the list of licensees that are indebted to the commission and granted them two weeks to renew their licenses and pay their debts or consider their licenses revoked, frequencies withdrawn, and the withdrawn frequencies duly assigned to those who are very much ready to use them,” said Director General of the NBC, Balarabe Ilelah, during a media briefing in Abuja.
The NBC said all the television and radio stations affected must halt operations in the next 24 hours warning stations that failed to renew their licences in 30 days risk further sanctions.
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Ilelah added: “Three months after the publication, some licensees are yet to pay their outstanding debt to the commission, and that is in contravention of the National Broadcasting Commission Act, Cap N11, Laws of the Federation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004, particularly section 10a of the third schedule of the Act.
“In view of this development, the continued operation of the debtor stations is illegal and constitutes a threat to national security. Therefore, after due consideration, the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, hereby announces the revocation of the licenses of the underlisted debtors, and are hereby given 24 hours to shut down their stations or operations.
“Our offices nationwide are hereby directed also to collaborate with security agencies across the country to ensure immediate compliance.”
The affected stations include: Silverbird Communications Company Limited and its Rhythm FM stations in Lagos, Abuja, Jos, Yenagoa, Port Harcourt, and Benin are affected; the broadcast stations that are owned by DAAR Communications Limited, including AIT and Raypower FM station; and broadcast stations owned by some state governments. In the list are: Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation, Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation, Niger State Broadcasting Corporation, Gombe State Broadcasting Corporation, Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation, Lagos DSB, Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, Ondo State Broadcasting Corporation, Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation, Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation, Imo State Broadcasting Corporation, Anambra State Broadcasting Corporation, Borno State Broadcasting Corporation, Yobe State Broadcasting Corporation, Sokoto State Broadcasting Corporation, Zamfara State Broadcasting Corporation, Kebbi State Broadcasting Corporation, Jigawa State Broadcasting Corporation, Kaduna State Broadcasting Corporation, Katsina State Broadcasting Corporation, and Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation.
Others include Greetings FM; Tao FM, Okene; Zuma FM, Suleja; Crowther FM, Abuja; We FM, Benin, Linksman International Limited, Keffi; Bomay Broadcasting Services Limited, Abuja; MiTV, Ibadan; Classic FM, Lagos and Port Harcourt; Classic TV, Lagos; Beat FM, Lagos; Cooper FM, Lagos; Splash FM, Ibadan; Rock City FM, Abeokuta; Family FM, Ilugun; Space FM, Ibadan; Radio Jeremi, Effurun; Breeze FM, Akure; Vibes FM, Benin; Wave FM, Port Harcourt; and Family Love FM, Port Harcourt.
