"We are not regulating to strangle" — That's the word from Nigeria's top broadcast regulator, who just told CBI News why trust, not just fines, will decide who wins in Nigeria's N605bn broadcast market.

WHAT: The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Mr Charles Ebuebu, says the NBC is dumping the old "fine them and go" model. Going forward, the Commission will partner directly with newsrooms to rebuild public trust.

WHERE & WHEN: He said this on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the closing of a two-day Capacity Building Workshop for CBI News staff at their Lagos headquarters.

WHO: The man at the centre is Mr Ebuebu, appointed DG of NBC in October 2023. "We train our reporters not to be the news, but to report the news," said Nesta Sani, Director of News at CBI News, who posed the question. "Today, the biggest trust issue is not fake news, but paid news affecting objectivity. We need a proactive NBC strategy, in partnership with newsrooms, to restore public trust."The NBC boss agreed, stressing that editorial responsibility lies with the broadcaster, not with guests, and that stations must verify serious allegations before airing to avoid breaching the Code and exposure to libel.

In attendance was Emperor Chris Baywood Ibe, Executive Vice Chairman of Baywood Holdings and Founder of CBI Digital Media, owner of CBI News TV.

WHY THIS MATTERS -

The Human Angle: Let's be honest. Every Nigerian has watched a TV interview and thought: "How much was paid for this question?" A 2023 survey by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism found that 64% of Nigerians believe journalists take brown envelopes. That is the crisis. And it is hitting the bottom line. Advertisers are moving money to TikTok, YouTube and podcasts because, as media buyers say, "You can't buy trust, but you can lose it quickly."

For a country with 756 licensed stations competing for the same ad naira, credibility is now commercial survival.

THE DETAILS:

Responding to CBI News, Mr Ebuebu was blunt. The era of the regulator as a policeman who only appears to sanction is over."The Commission is not regulating to strangle. Our mandate is to uphold standards that protect both journalists and the public interest," he said, echoing a line he has used since the NEMCEA 2026 policy alignment talks in Ikeja last month. Broadcasting, he insisted, must be guided by professionalism, fairness and neutrality. Audience data may be the new currency, but trust is the ultimate currency. So what does partnership actually mean?

EXPLAINER:

The NBC Code still has teeth. Breaches are still classified as Class A, B and C offences — from a warning letter to a heavy fine to, in extreme cases, licence suspension. That is not changing. What is changing is when NBC shows up. Instead of waiting till you breach and then fining you, the Commission will now co-own standards through training, newsroom clinics and pre-broadcast advisory. Think of it as moving from LASTMA to driving school.

The DG also warned: editorial responsibility stops at your desk. If a guest defames someone live on air, the station, not the guest, carries the can.

CBI NEWS ANGLE:

CBI News is not coming to join the noise. We are coming to make a difference. Speaking at the workshop, Emperor Chris Baywood Ibe pledged that CBI News TV will adhere strictly to NBC guidelines as it prepares to launch. His words: "We are building with state-of-the-art studios, top-notch personnel, world-class equipment and a distinct Afrocentric news outlook. But none of that matters without people. That is why we are very focused on staff welfare as a core driver of professionalism and productivity."It is a nod to history. The NBC itself was established on 24 August 1992 by Decree 38 to regulate newly liberalised airwaves after decades of government monopoly. Thirty-four years later, the challenge is no longer monopoly, but mistrust.

WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU:

If you watch TV news in Nigeria, this affects you. A trusted broadcast space means less paid news, more verified street voices, and fewer AI deepfakes passing as breaking news. For young journalists, it means your salary, not a brown envelope, should pay your rent.

NEXT STEPS: The NBC says its full nationwide rollout of the Digital Switchover (DSO) and FreeTV DTH platform — which unlocked over 100 channels and, according to the Commission, a N605.2 billion advertising market — was activated in June 2026, with final analogue switch-off in December 2028.

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