My Speech At The Digital Switch Over (DSO) Stakeholders’ Meeting, Held Today In Abuja.

I welcome you all to this important engagement on the Digital Switch Over (DSO) programme, a project that has remained a critical component of Nigeria’s broadcasting and digital transformation agenda.

Let me begin by appreciating the commitment, investments, expertise and sacrifices made over the years by all stakeholders represented here today.

The journey towards digital broadcasting has been long and, at times, challenging, but it has always been driven by a shared objective: to build a stronger, more modern and more competitive broadcasting sector for our country.

We are meeting at a crucial moment. As we move closer to the next phase of implementation, it is important that we pause to listen to one another, address concerns, clarify issues and strengthen confidence in the process.

This meeting is therefore not about winners and losers. It is about ensuring that the national interest remains paramount.

The Digital Switch Over programme should never be viewed merely as a technology migration project. It is much bigger than that. It is an economic transformation initiative with the potential to expand opportunities for broadcasters, content creators, manufacturers, technology providers, advertisers and millions of Nigerian viewers.

The promise of DSO lies in its ability to create a more vibrant media ecosystem — one that supports more channels, more local content, better audience measurement, stronger advertising revenues, increased innovation and greater opportunities for Nigerian creativity to flourish.

If properly implemented, DSO can help position Nigeria as one of Africa’s leading media and content hubs.

It is therefore understandable that stakeholders have strong views about the direction of the programme. Such concerns deserve to be heard within the framework of transparency and consultation.

As a government, we remain committed to the principles of stakeholder engagement, local content development, investor confidence, regulatory certainty, and sovereign interest. These principles are not mutually exclusive; they are essential ingredients for the success of any national project of this scale.

Our objective today is to foster dialogue, build consensus where possible, and identify practical pathways forward. We must resist the temptation to view this process through narrow institutional or commercial lenses. The larger question before us is how to ensure that the DSO programme ultimately delivers its intended benefits to Nigeria and Nigerians, without delay.

I therefore encourage all participants to engage constructively, speak frankly but respectfully, and approach today’s discussions with a spirit of collaboration and compromise.

The success of DSO will not be measured simply by the deployment of digital infrastructure. It will be measured by the jobs created, the businesses supported, the local content produced, the investments attracted and the opportunities opened for future generations of Nigerians.

I am confident that with goodwill, mutual respect and a shared commitment to national development, we can overcome differences and move forward together.

On that note, I wish us all fruitful deliberations.

Thank you.

Mohammed Idris, fnipr
Minister of Information and National Orientation
Abuja, Nigeria
16 June 2026