Cable Channels Nigeria (CCNL) has signed a multi-year agreement with satellite operator SES to provide a digital TV platform for the African country.
The deal provides capacity on the Astra-2F satellite positioned in orbit at 28.2° East for CCNL, the consortium appointed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to aggregate content and manage free-to-air digital terrestrial (DTT) and direct-to-home (DTH) TV platforms, ready for the country’s digital switchover (DSO).
“This agreement with SES will have a massive impact on consumers as we move towards the Nigeria DSO process. It moves over 25 million households from three to four analogue channels to 15 channels at launch, increasing to at least 30 channels in digital quality picture and sound,” said Mohammed Bawa, vice chairman, CCNL.
SES will provide capacity and platform services for the DTH service, which will then feed the DTT transmitters around the country. Teleport services will be provided by SES’ local partner Computer Warehouse Group, with channels aggregated from across Nigeria using microwave, fibre, IP or satellite and then multiplexed before uplink to Astra-2F.
“SES is proud to be CCNL’s partner of choice and at the forefront of the DSO process of the most populous nation in Africa. The service will provide 100% coverage for Nigeria DSO through DTT and DTH and gives viewers the opportunity to receive high quality TV throughout the country, regardless of their location. It will also give them access to multiple local, regional and national channels,” said Ibrahima Guimba-Saidou, senior vice president, SES Commercial in Africa.