Satellite agency looks to have investors in 2018 as DTH services begin

The Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited has said it is currently negotiating with foreign and local investors on the launch of two additional satellites for business expansion.

NIGCOMSAT, in partnership with the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) has also formally launched its Direct-to-Home (DTH) services with the airing of programs of its first commercial customer OVY Network, a Botswanabased startup DTH operator.

The service, which was launched this week in Abuja, will further boost the revenue generation drive of the company, according to officials.

Samson Osagie, the agency’s executive director in charge of marketing and business development said at a dinner for its resellers in Abuja yesterday that NIGCOMSAT hoped to launch the two satellites next year when negotiations with the investors might have been concluded.

The executive director said the agency was also working to roll out L-Band applications and train more installers of its payload equipment in order to take in more customers.

Meanwhile, at the launch of the DTH in Abuja, Mr. George Kavameje, the Chief Executive Officer, OVY Networks, said the NIGCOMSAT DTH system may offer a new solution for the Digital Switch Over Program for the nation using the DTT platform.

“The deadline for the digital switch over using terrestrial measure appear difficult to meet judging by the time and resources that may be required to build the ground facility and the huge maintenance cost. But this challenge may be mitigated with the NIGCOMSAT DTH services using the NigComSat-1R satellite. Programmes can be broadcast in urban and remote areas across the country”, he said.

Speaking to the media in his office, the Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu urged the Ministry of Information and Culture, and other related Ministries, Departments and Agencies to, in line with the Executive Order for Local Content, consider the indigenous capacity that NIGCOMSAT has developed to serve the broadcast and communication needs of their businesses. “We are ready and capable of providing quality services to both the public and private sectors in Nigeria,” he said.