N5b Debt: NBC Revokes License Of Televison And Radio Station

The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, has revoked the license of 54 television and radio stations in  the country.


It has also mandated the stations owing the Commission about N5billion to pay up before the March deadline or risk being shut down.

Director -General of the Commission, Mallam Is' haq Moddibo Kawu, has said that about 120 stations would soon  be shut down, over failure of the stations to come on air after the mandatory two years stipulated by law.

" Over the past two weeks, I gave directive that the licenses of  54 companies issued licenses but refused to pay their fees within the mandatory 60- day window, be revoked and those licenses have been revoked.

There is another list of over 120 licenses that were paid within the mandatory period but were unable to come on air within the mandatory two years; they are also being processed for revocation. And they will be revoked.

Frequencies cannot be held indefinitely by individuals. We are delighted that Nigerians are interested in setting up radio and televisIon stations; they are creating jobs.

"But no one has the right to hold on to allocated frequencies indefinitely, when the resources itself  is finite and there are other people waiting and ready to make use of those frequencies," he said.