First Private TV Station In Nigeria Suspends Operations Over Harsh Economy

Nigeria’s inaugural private television station, Desmims Broadcast Nigeria and Alheri Radio (DITV) has declared a halt to its operations due to challenging economic conditions.

Naija News reports that the oldest private radio station in Northern Nigeria announced this development in a statement released over the weekend in Kaduna.

The Acting General Manager and Chairman of the Management Committee, Idris Mustapha, noted in the statement that the surging operational expenses, especially the rising costs of electricity, have rendered it unfeasible for the station to operate effectively.

This announcement represents a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s media sector, particularly for the Hausa-speaking audience, which has consistently supported DITV and Alheri Radio throughout the years.

“The escalating cost of power has made it impossible to operate the station effectively,” the management announced, expressing its regret over the development and assuring the public that standard transmission would resume as soon as the financial situation improves.

“We sincerely regret the inconvenience this may cause our millions of viewers and listeners,” the statement added.

Mustapha elaborated that the financial challenges were intensified by the failure of numerous businesses that had previously advertised on the television station to fulfil their financial commitments, which had a considerable impact on revenue generation.