*The National Broadcasting Commission announces it has extended the period which all the affected stations鈥� outstanding debts are to be paid from 24 hours to Wednesday, August 24, 2022

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

Sequel to public criticisms, intensive outcry by media industry stakeholders, and appeals by affected stations, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has announced the regulatory Commission will delay the planned shutdown of 52 broadcast stations it earlier said had not renewed their operating licences.

Recall the Commission Friday, August 19, 2022, had threatened to revoke the broadcast licences of Silverbird TV, AIT, Raypower FM, Rhythm FM, and several other stations over failure to renew their licences.

Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, Director-General of NBC (middle), and other top officials of the Commission, at a press conference in Abuja, FCT

According to NBC, the debt the affected stations owed the industry regulator amounted to N2.66 billion.

It had also advised the stations to shut down operations within 24 hours.

绿帽献妻 reports the Commission in a statement issued Saturday, August 20, said it had extended the deadline for a shutdown till Wednesday, August 24, to revisit and effect the revocation order.

Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, Director-General of NBC, in the statement said: 鈥淭his is to inform all the affected broadcast stations whose licences were revoked and given 24 hours to pay all outstanding licence fees that the National Broadcasting Commission has extended the period which all outstanding debts are to be paid from 24 hours to Wednesday August 24, 2022.

鈥淎ll affected broadcast stations who fail to defray their debts on or before August 23, 2022 are directed to shut down by 12am on August 24, 2022.鈥�

Ilelah also stated that 鈥渢his extension is due to the appeal by the affected broadcast btations, relevant stakeholders, public-spirited individuals and organisations.鈥�