Wait a minute, have you been asked the name of the First TV station in Nigeria or probably, it just occurred to you that you don’t know a thing about this question? Well, you are not alone and I bet a lot of people close to you don’t know it either. Everyone most have been carried away by the best TV stations of today in Nigeria such as Channels TV, TVC and their likes strictly meant for entertainment that they have even forgotten when last they tuned to NTA.
The First TV Station in Nigeria
Yes, NTA is the first TV station in Nigeria but it did not start as NTA, it started as Western Nigeria Television (WNTV). So when next you are asked the name of the first indigenous TV station in Nigeria, tells that person it is WNTV (now part of NTA).
Brief History of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)
WNTV began broadcasting on 31 October 1959 under the name Western Nigerian Government Broadcasting Corporation (WNTV) with Olapade Obisesan as its first Chairman. The TV station was based in Ibadan and was the first television station in Tropical Africa. It was later in 1962 that Radio Kaduna Television (RKTV) and the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) were introduced. In 1972, Mid-west TV was introduced then later in Benue-Plateau Television Corporation (BPTV) was introduced. All this broadcasted for their respective region.
All the above mentioned TV stations were merged into one TV station in May 1977 known as the Nigerian Television (NTV). It was this NTV that re-branded into the current Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). You would find this station in every state in Nigeria its head-quarters is at Victoria Island Lagos with an Abuja network center. NTA has seasoned broadcasters who are top notch in the broadcast media such as Cyril Stober and has popular programs like Panorama, One o’ Clock Live, Inside the Senate, and You and Your Rep, Tuesday live apart from the Network News normally aired by 7pm and 9pm respectively.