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The Nigerian Communication Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT), Nigus International, and the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) have joined forces to launch NextTv, a new satellite Direct-to-Home TV platform, targeting to break the monopoly of South Africa’s Multichoice Digital Satellite TV’s (DStv) in Nigeria’s payTV market.
The partnership is forged to bring affordable high grade content to Nigeria’s payTv audience beginning with over 140 channels.
Nigus International has 75% equity stake as lead partner followed by NigComSat with 15% equity while CGWIC holds 10% equity stake.
CGWIC is the main contractor for the development of NIGCOMSAT’s communication satellites, which includes the moribund NIGCOMSAT-1 and its replacement, NIGCOMSAT-1R which is currently still active in orbit. CGWIC is a major partner of NIGCOMSAT and has collaborated with the Nigerian satellite company on several other projects since 2011. have collaborated on several other projects since the launch of NIGCOMSAT-1R in December 2011.
With the new deal, NIGCOMSAT and its partners will be strengthening their entry into the satellite DTH services in Nigeria since December 2017, when NIGCOMSAT initially rolled out a free DTH service, offering more than 40 free news, entertainment, religious and sports channels, available on its decoder and on other unlocked decoders in 54 African countries.
According to Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Abimbola Alale, the new collaboration which began in 2018 aims to boost internally generated revenue as part of a strategy to fully commercialise the company’s operations and assets without depending on funding from the government, said
Article is grateful to broadcastprome.com
