Edo Government Debunks License Withdrawal Rumors for EBS TV, Moves to Channel 45

The Edo State Government has dismissed rumors claiming that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) revoked the license of the state-owned Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS TV). In a statement, Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media Projects, urged the public to disregard the false claims, attributing them to mischief-makers.

Osagie clarified that EBS TV’s Channel 55, which operated on the 700MHz frequency band, was affected by a nationwide repurposing of that spectrum, in line with an international treaty established by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in 2015. Nigeria, as a signatory, is required to comply with these regulations. As a result, the station’s operations on Channel 55 have shifted to Channel 45, as reassigned by the NBC.

“The NBC did not withdraw the license of EBS TV due to any statutory failures,” Osagie said. “The repurposing of the 700MHz band is part of a broader international agreement, and all affected stations were notified of the changes and provided with new channel allocations.”

He added that the NBC has been working with affected stations, including EBS, since 2020 to ensure a smooth transition. Plans are also underway to compensate EBS for the move.

Regarding concerns over the station’s license fee, Osagie noted that EBS had accumulated significant debt prior to Governor Obaseki’s tenure. However, in June 2022, the governor took steps to address the issue by approving payments to clear the arrears.