Post by Henry Emeka (@Emekus)

When was the DSO founded?
The DSO timeline is long and messy:

2006 — Nigeria adopted the ITU digital migration policy.
2012 — First official DSO framework launched.
2014 — Contracts awarded (Inview, STB manufacturers, signal distributors).
2016 — First pilot launch in Jos.
2024–2025 — Major reboot with FreeTV national rollout.
So, the programme itself dates back to 2006, but the operational rollout began in 2012–2014.

How much money was given for the DSO?
This is the most controversial part.

₦34 billion
This is the amount the Federal Government officially released for the DSO between 2015 and 2020, according to the Minister of Information.

₦2.5 billion scandal
Pinnacle Communications was accused of receiving ₦2.5 billion improperly.
The case was later dismissed in court.

₦9.4 billion
Allocated earlier for set‑top box subsidies and middleware contracts.

Total estimated spending: ₦40–50 billion
This is the combined estimate from:

Ministry of Information

NBC

Auditor‑General reports

Investigative journalism (Premium Times, ICIR)

There is no single audited figure, but ₦40–50 billion is the most widely cited range.

https://www.arise.tv/digital-switchover-gains-momentum-as-100-channels-join-freetv-platform/

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