The Director General of NBC, Mr Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, who gave the warning at a stakeholders’ meeting on transmitter power in Nigerian broadcasting last week, said the industry is faced with very difficult challenges resulting from unauthorised transmission that is causing frequency interference and clashes.
According to him, “There are illegal and rampant use of transmission power by stations all over Nigeria.
“Stations procure transmitters without respecting the stipulated and recommended transmitter power in city-based FM stations. The consequence of this is that we have frequency clashes occurring all over Nigeria.
“As at February 22, 2017, the NBC had compiled a total of 69 stations around the country, where transmitters had been installed beyond the transmitter power stipulated in the conditions of their licenses, but as at today, we have a list of 89 such stations and the list is not exhaustive.”
High-power transmitters installed all over the country today, according to him, have become responsible for the frequency jamming that is taking place all over Nigeria.
“We are dealing with an anarchic situation in the Nigerian broadcasting airwaves, to be honest, and there is no responsible regulatory institution that can allow the problem to persist,” Kawu said.
He explained that the electromagnetic spectrum is a finite resource that all nations of the world deploy for various uses, from broadcasting through to space science and telecommunications, adding that nations understand the importance of this finite resource and take the steps to ensure the judicious use of the radio spectrum to derive maximum benefit for their development purposes.
Also, Engineering and Technology, officer, NBC, Mr Friday Ojone Ukwela, explained that Electromagnetic (EM) spectrum, a valuable and limited natural resource is the medium for broadcasting, telecommunication, aviation, navigation, and data services in the areas of earth science, space science, human space exploration, aeronautical research, and disaster management. He therefore warned that radio stations must use the spectrum effectively or risk sanction.
“The use of the radio spectrum needs to be planned, managed, and regulated to make the radio spectrum available for all uses.
The 88MHz – 108MHz frequency band is allocated for the FM Radio service by the International Telecoms Union (ITU) and the bandwidth for FM radio is 200KHz. In Nigeria, the guard band between adjacent FM radio stations is a minimum of 200KHz.”
Ukwela, however, said that in 2008 NBC suspended sales and processing of broadcast application forms for FM radio service for these saturated areas that reached their saturation limit.
He further said that in 2010 Nigerian Broadcasting Code was review in Uyo, where it was agreed that the coverage area for FM Radio service in Nigeria should be per city as from 2010.
“All existing FM radio stations at the expiration of their licences should revert to the City based coverage area for FM radio service. Given that the life of a Licence is five years, all FM radio Licences were expected to be city based in 2015. It was equally agreed that all new FM radio Licensees, beginning from 2010 should adhere to this new FM radio service city base coverage area agreement,” Ukwela said.
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