Communiqué 74: The reinvention of Nigeria’s national TV broadcaster
Can Nigeria’s state broadcaster, NTA, take a cue from the likes of BBC, DR, and France TV to reimagine its future and regain cultural relevance?
Key Points
1. Legacy institutions can be revived with the right talent. The appointment of industry-savvy leaders, such as Tari Taylaur, at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), demonstrates how strategic hires can reboot legacy organizations. Creative entrepreneurs can learn from this about the importance of experienced leadership and cross-sector experience. Investors, meanwhile, should not write off old brands too quickly; with the right talent and strategy, even stagnating assets can be turned into growth engines.
2. Great content needs great tech: Despite improved programming, NTA’s lack of digital infrastructure shows that great content means little without modern distribution. Entrepreneurs should prioritize digital accessibility, streaming, mobile-first platforms, and online engagement to stay competitive. Content and tech must grow hand in hand to succeed in today’s media landscape.
3. Authentic stories are the next big opportunity: NTA’s renewed focus on authentic Nigerian storytelling highlights a powerful truth: there is enduring value in content that reflects local realities, values, and cultures. For entrepreneurs, this reinforces the opportunity in creating culturally resonant media. The next big media hits might not come from copying global formats but from intensely local, well-told stories.
1. NTA courts Nollywood
Earlier this month, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) hosted a select group of Nollywood producers at its headquarters in Abuja. The occasion was a deliberate outreach by the state-owned broadcaster to court a new generation of Nigerian filmmakers who could produce content for the network. In return, NTA offered access to its sprawling network of over 100 stations across the country, still one of the most far-reaching broadcast footprints in Africa.
The meeting was an implementation of a larger, more strategic shift underway at the NTA: a renewed focus on original Nigerian programming. After years of stagnation and declining cultural relevance, the broadcaster was reintroducing itself not just as a government mouthpiece, but as a platform for authentic, locally made stories.
Some of those efforts are already on air. Temi and the Labalaba Band, a children’s musical drama licensed from Anthill Studios, now airs every Saturday morning, while Las Gidi, a co-production with X3M Ideas and Acon Media, brings a Lagos-set sitcom to NTA’s prime-time slot. Both shows reflect NTA’s evolving strategy: a blend of new originals, licensed Nigerian content, and the revival of classic titles from its storied archive.
If successful, this strategy could address one of the Nigerian film industry’s biggest challenges: profitable distribution.
2. When NTA ruled Nigerian TV
For every Nigerian born before 2000, this is a familiar sight: a family of four gathered in front of the TV to watch Super Story on Thursdays, just before the 9 pm Network News. And for Nigerians born before 1980, the gong of The Village Headmaster was a familiar sound and an unmistakable cue that it was time to sit down for one of the most beloved drama series ever produced on Nigerian television.
This deep cultural imprint is no accident. The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), founded in May 1977 from a loose coalition of regional television stations, had a clear founding mandate: to inform, educate, and entertain the public. Backed by the federal government, it became the only authorized body for television broadcasting in Nigeria at the time.
While its news programming consistently toed the government line, it was NTA’s drama offerings that truly won over Nigerian audiences. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, NTA became the platform for a golden age of Nigerian television storytelling, featuring shows such as The Village Headmaster, New Masquerade, Cock Crow at Dawn, Behind the Clouds, and Mirror in the Sun.
These programmes entertained and helped define what local content meant in post-colonial Nigeria. NTA also served as a launching pad for generations of acting talent, including Pete Edochie, who rose to national prominence after starring in the TV adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s famed novel, Things Fall Apart.
However, this era of vibrant local storytelling began to fade in the 1990s, the result of a controversial directive from management that banned NTA staff from acting in drama productions. The rationale? The BBC didn’t allow its staff to participate in drama, and neither should the NTA. Peter Igho, a former Director of Programmes at the network, explained the consequences of that decision in this Nairametrics article: “It was cheaper and easier to use the staff for production,” he recalled. “Also, if a staff member is cast, he knows he has to show up since his job is on the line.” With few actors willing to resign their salaried positions to pursue uncertain acting roles, the network abruptly shelved many iconic programmes.
Imported content, especially South American telenovelas, filled the void left by these canceled shows. By the early 2000s, NTA’s programming had deviated significantly from its founding mission. Local content gave way to dubbed foreign soap operas, and the broadcaster increasingly relied on licensed material rather than homegrown stories. In 2013, at the height of its popularity, NTA signed a deal with the U.S.-based Viacom to rebroadcast some of its programmes, particularly from the MTV Base brand.
NTA’s government ownership also became a double-edged sword. While it guaranteed funding and reach (NTA now operates over 150 stations across Nigeria), it also meant the network would never stray from the official line dictated by whichever government was in power. In contrast, audiences increasingly viewed private stations such as Channels TV and AIT as more credible sources of independent news.
Without the original Nigerian dramas for which it was known and with its inability to provide unbiased news, NTA’s cultural credibility declined, and its audience along with it. In 2014, it was still the most viewed TV station in Nigeria. But by 2023, it had fallen to fifth place behind Channels TV, BBC, CNN, and TVC News. Once the nation’s unchallenged broadcasting titan, NTA had become a shadow of its former self.
3. Back to basics
New management at NTA is working to change this. In September 2024, President Bola Tinubu appointed a new executive board for the Nigerian Television Authority. Among them was Tari Taylaur, a media professional and politician, who assumed the role of Executive Director of Programmes. With nearly two decades of experience in Nigeria’s media and creative industries, Taylaur brought a fresh, industry-savvy perspective to the institution.
Before joining NTA, Taylaur ran Content Factory Global, a production company she founded in 2012. She worked on high-profile adaptations like The Apprentice Africa, Dragons’ Den Nigeria, and Desperate Housewives Africa. She also worked closely with state governments and agencies to create documentaries and campaigns aimed at public education and civic engagement.
Now at NTA, Taylaur is returning the network to its roots of authentic Nigerian storytelling. “We’ve told some of the finest stories this country has ever seen over the last five decades,” she said to Communiqué. “From Behind the Clouds to Mirror in the Sun and Basi and Company, these stories shaped generations. We want to go back to that.”
One of the flagship programmes in this return to form is a reimagining of Tales by Moonlight, the iconic children’s programme that once blended folklore with moral instruction.
Additionally, as part of this new direction, NTA is prioritizing family-friendly content; programming that parents and children can watch together, just as previous generations did. The network’s leadership believes that wholesome, intergenerational storytelling can help rebuild trust with Nigerian audiences and reestablish NTA as a central fixture in the country’s cultural life.
4. What works elsewhere
Reinventing a public service broadcaster rests on two core pillars: content and technology.
Content is the heart of any broadcaster’s relevance. For a public broadcaster to survive and thrive, it must invest in programming that speaks directly to the realities, values, and aspirations of its audience. A compelling case study is Denmark’s public broadcaster, DR. Faced with declining viewership in the early 2000s, DR adopted a bold strategy: investing in original, high-quality drama that engages with contemporary societal issues. The result was a wave of globally acclaimed series like Borgen, The Killing, and The Bridge. These were wholly Danish stories, crafted to meet the highest standards of storytelling and production. DR’s strategy is clear: every program must be original, socially relevant, and of high enough quality to air during prime time. Borgen was licensed to Netflix and went on to become a massive hit.
The second pillar is technology. As audience habits shift away from traditional TV, public broadcasters must follow the audience where they are — online. Broadcasters worldwide have responded by building robust digital platforms to serve on-demand content. The BBC launched iPlayer in the UK, CBC introduced Gem in Canada, and in France, France.tv has become a hub for public service content. Much closer to home, South Africa’s public broadcaster, the SABC, launched SABC+ in 2023. In May 2025, the platform reached 1 million registered users, a milestone driven mainly by its strategic use of live sports content to attract and retain viewers.
Despite its efforts to reclaim cultural relevance through fresh, family-friendly Nigerian storytelling, the NTA still lags in one crucial area: technology. The content revival is well underway, but the infrastructure that delivers this content remains outdated.
Between 2011 and 2021, the NTA received 65 billion naira in government funding. Yet, despite this significant investment, the picture and sound quality of its broadcast content still struggles to match that of local, privately owned competitors like Channels TV or Arise News, let alone the global players with which it must truly compete. Additionally, the IMF denied a request by the previous government for a loan of 1.92 trillion naira, of which 181 billion naira ($500 million) was intended for the digitization of NTA.
But change might be on the horizon. According to Tari Taylaur, a streaming strategy is in development. “We recognize that a lot of people stream everything. How do you reach them if you don’t stream?”
But she is clear-eyed about the challenges. “We’re not just trying to launch an app for the sake of it. We want to understand the market, why some platforms have failed, what others have done right, and how we can build something sustainable.”
Still, if the network can match its creative reinvention with a meaningful technological leap, it may just reestablish itself, not just as the nation’s oldest broadcaster, but once again as one of its most relevant.