The NBC director-general, Armstrong Idachaba, gave the directive in a newspaper advertorial published on Thursday, June 10. Idachaba said in the advertorial that the NBC establishment code empowers the commission to ask the companies to be licensed.

Section two (b) of the NBC act of 2004 states: “(1) The Commission shall have [the] responsibility of Receiving, processing and considering applications for the establishment, ownership or operation of radio and television stations including (i) cable television services, direct satellite broadcast and any other medium of broadcasting.”

The advertorial reads “The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) hereby directs every Online Broadcast Service provider and Social Media Platforms operating within the Nigerian State to apply and obtain a broadcast licence for their service(s). Note that any Online Broadcast Service Provider that fails to obtain a licence will be considered an illegal entity.”

It is not immediately clear whether the directive applies strictly to only broadcast organizations or not.

This decision announcement comes barely 24 hours after the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, announced that all Over The Top service providers like Facebook, Twitter, and other microblogging sites will have to register for a license before they can operate in Nigeria.

Last Friday, June 4, the Federal government suspended Twitter’s operation in Nigeria days after the site deleted a tweet from President Buhari’s handle.

NBC’s Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Armstrong Idachaba confirmed the development. t was further gathered that the most senior Director in the Commission has been directed to take over from the suspended DG.

Kawu is currently being prosecuted on 12-count charges bordering on abuse of office, money laundering and misleading a public officer with the intent to defraud the federal government, in contravention of Section 26 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 19 of the same law.

Members of the committee whose job description centers on implementing reforms in the NBC include; Armstrong Idachaba, NBC director of monitoring (chairman); Godfrey Ohuabunwa, acting chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON); J.K. Ehicheoya, director, legal services, ministry of information and culture; Binta Adamu Bello, secretary, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON); Ibrahim Jimoh, director of administration, FRCN; Agbo Kingsley Ndubuisi, NBC board member and Joe Mutah, chief press secretary, ministry of information and culture (secretary).

He said “The terms of reference of the committee are as follows; To establish and publish a new regulation for the licensing of web and internet broadcasters/international broadcasters in Nigeria. To immediately commence work on all statutory, legal and regulatory framework for further legislative action on the review of the NBC act by the national assembly. To work out the modalities for a competitive and reasonable salaries, wages and other welfare needs of the staff of the commission. To establish necessary protocols for the establishment or appointment of professionals or technocrats (non-partisan personality) to run the agency, and appointment into the board of the NBC. I have no doubt that this committee, which comprises highly-experienced professionals and administrators, will carry out a thorough job that will reposition the NBC as an effective and efficient regulator”.