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Radio Broadcasting was introduced into Nigeria by the then British Colonial authorities in 1933. One of its main tasks was to relay the overseas service of the BBC through wired systems with loudspeakers. This service was called Radio Diffusion System (RDS).
The Radio Diffusion System (RDS) became the Nigerian Broadcasting Service, NBS in April 1951. By 1957, the RDS also underwent a name change and became the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).
In 1978, the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation was re-organized to become the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN.
Television (T.V.) broadcasting in Nigeria started with the initiative of the first Western Region Premier, Chief Obafemi Awolowo who on October 31, 1959 launched television broadcasting at Ibadan, the then headquarters of the region.
With a small 500 watts transmitter mounted on Mapo Hill in Ibadan and another at Abafon near Ikorodu, the western Region Government commenced operations in partnership with British Media company, Overseas Rediffusion Limited. The western Nigeria Radiovision Service Limited was also created, with the responsibility of managing radio and television broadcasting in the Western region.
In 1976, television stations started beaming color programmes. By 1978, the Federal Government took over all television services in Nigeria and these stations where made to beam network programmes.
In 1992, a new vista was opened in the annals of Nigerian broadcasting history. The Federal government under then Commander in Chief, General Ibrahim Babangida deregulated the broadcast industry by granting license to private individuals and organizations to set up radio and television broadcasting stations.
In 1992 the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) was founded to monitor and regulate broadcasting on a national basis.
Today, the Nigerian Broadcast industry reaches daily over 9 million television sets; reaches over 100 million listeners; broadcasts in 15 languages; from offices all across Nigeria.
As we travel the Road to 50, let us remember the "labors of our heroes past", and embrace the power of these fascinating freedoms.
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Source: History of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation by Olu Ladele.
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