(The Federal Government. Photo by TVC News)
The Federal Government has announced plans to launch FreeTV, a national digital television platform set to give Nigerians free access to over 100 television channels without any monthly subscription fees.
The initiative, scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, 2026, forms part of Nigeria’s Digital Switch-Over programme and is intended to widen access to digital broadcasting while advancing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to a statement shared via the Presidency’s verified social media handle on Wednesday, the platform was conceived to ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of location or income, benefits from the country’s shift from analogue to digital television.
The government explained that FreeTV would grant households access to more than 100 national, regional, and state channels covering news, sports, movies, music, children’s programming, educational content, as well as dedicated Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo language channels.
The service is expected to reach viewers through satellite, terrestrial transmission, and the FreeTV mobile application, extending coverage to major cities, rural communities, and areas previously left out of earlier phases of the digital switch-over.
The statement clarified that Nigerians would not need to purchase new television sets to access the platform, as existing TVs would work with compatible decoders, and households already equipped with suitable free-to-air decoders may not need new equipment at all.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu, described the initiative as a significant step toward deepening digital inclusion nationwide.
He explained that FreeTV directly reflects President Tinubu’s vision of expanding access and opportunity, ensuring that every Nigerian can participate in the digital economy regardless of their location or income level.
He added that the platform would allow families across the country to enjoy quality digital television without subscription costs, while opening up new job opportunities for local content producers, technicians, and young creatives.
Beyond improving access to television services, the government said the initiative is expected to drive growth within Nigeria’s creative and broadcast sector through the establishment of regional production studios in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, and Benin City, which would in turn create employment opportunities for producers, editors, camera operators, sound engineers, and other creative professionals.
The Federal Government reaffirmed that the final shutdown of analogue television transmission remains scheduled for December 31, 2028, urging Nigerians to begin preparing by confirming their decoder compatibility and downloading the FreeTV mobile application.
