It’s been 65 years since television was first launched in Nigeria. How has broadcast media fared since then? 

Maryam Jibril Yusuf

Do you know the history of television in Nigeria? SolaceBase is about to take you through the journey in this piece. 

The story began in 1959. 

The regional western government of Nigeria established the first television station in Ibadan and it was called Western Nigeria Television also known as WNTV 

This broadcasting company was located in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria.  Interestingly, it was not only the first TV station in Nigeria, it was also the 1st TV station in Tropical Africa! 

Western Nigerian TV was created with a goal to promote education and introduce citizens to the whole world, but the station became the voice of the opposition who needed to broadcast its ideas to Western Nigerians. 

Development of television in Nigeria 

The example of WNTV was contagious. Governments of other parts of the country also wanted to broadcast their ideas so they established regional television stations in the 1960s.

The country’s independence in 1960 saw the birth of Radio Kaduna Television (RKTV) and Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) in 1962.

Ten years later, two more stations – Benue-Plateau Television Corporation (BPTV) and Mid-west Television were established.  

However, all the regional broadcasting companies were mostly used by opposition politicians and to serve the government of the day. 

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Interestingly, the division of Nigeria into states in 1973 gave the way to forming a TV station in each state and all the regional stations were combined into one station in the late 70s with the name Nigerian Television or the simple abbreviation NTV. Later NTV was turned into the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). 

Though created by the Nigerian military regime to coordinate all the TV coverage in the country, it is now broadcasting in all 36 states of Nigeria, including the FCT. It works with UNESCO to create educational TV programs for institutions and high schools. 

The significance of broadcasting cannot be over-emphasised hence private broadcasting in Nigeria was enabled in 1992 by the Federal Government, having seen privatisation of the electronic media as a very good legacy.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) was established, with the special charge to ensure that Private Radio and Television Licenses are issued to broadcasters to serve society in an ethically responsible manner, after receiving, processing and considering applications, for the establishment, ownership or operation of Radio and Television Stations.

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Generally, the commission also has the basic responsibility of advising the Federal Government on the implementation of the National Mass Communication Policy with particular reference to Broadcasting.

Independent television channels

Galaxy Television is Nigeria’s first independent television station with it based now in Lagos, Ibadan and Akure. 

Apart from being the first to be licensed, it was also the first to start broadcasting.

Galaxy Television started full broadcasting in May 1994 from Oke Are, Ibadan with a 10kilowalts Aerodyne transmitter.

Nigeria presently boasts of nearly 100 TV stations all across the country. Some of them are: government-owned (federal and state), others are private. Here are some of the most popular private TV stations in Nigeria: Channels TV , AIT, Silverbird TV , Galaxy TV, TVC and Arise TV.