“I LOST ₦100M”: KANO FREE TV DEALER FIRES WARNING SHOT AT FG’S RELAUNCH
GREATRIBUNETVNEWS–“FREE TV is back. But one dealer says he’s still counting his losses” – Demands answers before investors bite
Key Issues:
1. Kano Dealer Warns FG’s Free TV Relaunch After ₦100m Loss
_”Amb. Aminu Nuruddeen Amin, a Kano-based Free TV dealer, walked into a press briefing Monday with a ₦100 million caution sign for anyone eyeing the Federal Government’s relaunched Free TV initiative.”
2. Personal Warning Based on Bitter Experience
_”His message was simple: ‘I’ve been here before. It didn’t end well.'”
3. ₦100m Gamble Met With Six Months of Silence
_”—₦100m gamble, six months of silence—”
Amin said he poured over ₦100 million into equipment and inventory after joining a government-backed Digital Switch Over training in 2019.
The pitch then was clear: 30+ TV channels at launch, more to follow, steady service, happy subscribers.
The reality, he claims, was different.
“Encouraged by the assurances given at the launch, many of us invested heavily. Personally, I invested over ₦100 million,” Amin told journalists in Kano.
Then the network went dark. “At one point, the network went completely off-air for more than six months, leaving subscribers without service and dealers with damaged reputations and unsold inventory,” he said.
—100 channels? Prove it first—
Now FG has relaunched Free TV, promising up to 100 channels. Amin isn’t clapping yet.
“It is therefore surprising that another version of the Free TV initiative has now been launched with fresh promises of delivering up to 100 channels,” he said, noting that even the current channel count is still below what was originally advertised.
—“Show us the guarantees”—
The dealer is asking hard questions before anyone writes another cheque:
1. What happened to investments and commitments under the old DSO?
2. Where are the operational and commercial guarantees this time?
3. Who takes responsibility if history repeats itself?
“As someone who suffered substantial financial losses under the previous arrangement, I believe it is my responsibility to speak out and caution others against making investment decisions based solely on promises,” Amin added.
About the Author
