Princess Kelechi
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has revoked licenses of the African Independent Television (AIT), Silverbird Television (STV), and 50 other broadcast stations over their refusal to renew their license of operations.
Balarabe Ilelah, director general of the Commission, who disclosed this on Friday in Abuja, said the stations had been owing about N2.6 billion debt since 2015.
The DG instructed that they shut down their operations within 24 hours.
He said that the commission, had in May 2022 published in the national dailies the names of stations who were yet to renew their licence and granted them two weeks to renew their licenses and pay their debt or get their licenses revoked, frequencies withdrawn and reassigned to others who were ready to abide by the necessary requirements.
Ilelah added that three months after the publication, some licences were yet to pay their outstanding debt , which he notes is in contravention of the Commission’s act CAP N11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, particularly section 10(a) of the third schedule of the Act.
Ilelah said before revoking their licences, the commission had been talking with the affected stations for a year, but they refused to corporate and pay.
He informed that the stations would have to pay a recommencement to go back on air, even after paying the outstanding debt owed.
He, therefore called on all stations who have not renewed their licences for the current duration and were advised to do so within 30 days to avoid sanctions.
The DG further called on all Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and all other broadcast stations that were streaming online to register with the commission to avoid disconnection.
The affected stations are:
Silverbird TV (Silverbird Communications Co. Ltd) Network
Rhythm FM (Silverbird Communications Ltd)
AIT/Ray Power FM (DAAR Communication Itd)
Greetings FM (Greetings Media Ltd)
Tao FM (Ovidi Communications Ltd)
Zuma FM (Zuma FM Ltd)
Crowther FM (Crowther Communications Ltd)
We FM (Kings Broadcasting Ltd)
Linksman International ltd
Bomay Broadcasting Services Itd
MITV (Murhi International Group Ltd)
Classic FM (Pinkt Nigeria Ltd)
Classic FM (Pinkt Nigeria Ltd)
Classic TV (Pinkt Nigeria Ltd)
Beat FM (Megalectrics LTD)
Cooper Communications Itd
Splash FM (West Midlands Ltd)
Rock City FM (Boot Communications Itd)
Family FM (Kalaks Investments Nig. Ltd)
Space FM (Creazioni Nig. Ltd)
Radio Jeremi (Radio Jeremi ltd)
FM Abuja
FM Lagos
FM Yenagoa
FM Port-Harcourt
FM Jos
Wave FM (South Atlantic Media Itd)
Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation
Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation
Niger State Broadcasting Corporation
Benin
Network
FM Network
FM Okene,
FM Suleja
FM Abuja
FM Benin
Breeze FM (Bays Water ltd)
Vibes FM (Vibes Communication Itd)
Family Love FM (Multimesh Broadcasting Co. Ltd) Port-Harcourt
Port-Harcourt
Gombe State Broadcasting Corporation
Lagos DSB
Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation
Osun State Broadcasting Corporation
Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation
Ondo State Broadcasting Corporation
Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation
Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation
Cross River 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