The Federal Government has attributed the persistent loss of satellite television and radio signals during rainfall to the use of inappropriate bandwidths by service providers including DSTV.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Innovation Science and Technology Uche Nnaji during a stakeholders’ workshop on space regulation held in Abuja.
Speaking at the event organised by the National Space Research and Development Agency, the minister said that several satellite-based service providers deliberately operate on lower bandwidths to cut costs at the expense of quality service to Nigerian consumers.
Nnaji stated that DSTV and other providers often avoid higher bandwidths, which are better suited for stable transmission during adverse weather conditions.
He explained that such practices result in the frequent disruption of signal during rainfall a common complaint among Nigerian subscribers.
“All these challenges of your TV or radio not working or losing signal whenever it is raining are because DSTV and the likes are not hosting their equipment at the right bandwidth” Nnaji said.
“They will host it at the lower bandwidth where they will not spend money on the higher bandwidth. But with regulation we will force them to move it up to where it’s supposed to be.”
The minister further explained that the government is set to implement stricter regulatory measures to ensure that satellite service providers operate within appropriate technical standards.
He added that the new regulatory framework will mandate providers to utilize higher frequencies that are more resilient to weather interference.
According to Nnaji, space regulation and licensing are part of broader reforms designed to enhance national revenue and improve service quality.
He said Nigeria has the potential to generate over N200 billion annually through proper regulation of satellite activities with an annual growth projection of 18 to 20 percent.
Nnaji also raised concerns over the financial commitments of foreign satellite operators like Starlink and DSTV to the Nigerian government.
He said these companies pay minimal fees while generating significant revenue within the country and often bypass regulatory frameworks to avoid full compliance.
“In the near future, we will move from a $1 trillion to a $5 trillion economy. Starlink and DSTV come here and pay peanuts. These are part of what we want to address through space regulation and licensing” he said.
The minister further disclosed that the President has approved the mainstreaming of space technology into Nigeria’s revenue generation framework.
He noted that space-based surveillance will be leveraged to reduce reliance on manual pipeline monitoring in the oil sector, thereby cutting costs and enhancing efficiency.
Director General of NASRDA, Dr Matthew Adepoju, who also spoke at the event, said the increasing number of space-based assets demands proper licensing and monitoring in line with international best practices.
Adepoju explained that the role of NASRDA under the Federal Ministry of Innovation Science and Technology is to ensure all space activities within and above Nigerian territory are controlled across upstream midstream and downstream operations.
The workshop also featured the unveiling of a new NASRDA logo symbolizing the agency’s commitment to reform.
Adepoju expressed confidence that the new regulatory measures will attract more investment into the Nigerian space industry while ensuring improved service delivery to citizens and higher revenue for national development.
