The National Broadcasting Commission has relaxed its revocation of the operating licences of 52 broadcast stations due to a total debt of N2.6 billion in licensing fees.

It gave a new deadline of August 23 in a statement signed on Saturday by its Director-General, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah.

It said the extension was due to appeal by the affected broadcast stations, relevant stakeholders, public spirited organisations and organisations.

It said the commission would enforce the revocation order on the affected stations by August 24 should they fail pay up the debts after the grace period.

The statement titled ‘NBC Extends Enforcement of Revocation Order on Debtor Broadcast Stations from 24 Hours to Wednesday August 23, 2022’, read, “This is to inform all the affected broadcast stations whose licenses were revoked and given 24 hours pay all outstanding license fees that the National Broadcasting Commission has extended the period which all outstanding debts are to be paid from 24 hours to Wednesday,  August 23, 2022.

“All affected broadcast stations that fail to defray their debts on or before August 23,2022 are directed to shut down by 12am on August 24, 2022.

“This extension is due to appeal by the affected broadcast stations, relevant stakeholders, public spirited organisations and organizations.”

In another statement, the Nigerian chapter of International Press Institute (IPI) claimed the concession by the NBC followed its intervention and the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) on how to explore amicable resolution of the dispute.

After the announcement, IPI Nigeria said it engaged the Ministry of Information and Culture, the NBC and BON.

IPI Nigeria President, Musikilu Mojeed, said that Ilelah had graciously agreed to grant an extension on compassionate ground.

“We thank the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and Mallam Illela for listening to us and allowing a window for dialogue.

“During our engagement with the commission, the NBC explained that the commission had in the past granted several concessions to broadcast organisations, including writing off substantial part of their debts and engaging them consistently to fulfil their financial obligations to the regulator,” Mojeed said.

He urged the affected broadcasting organisations to take advantage of the grace time to reach out to the NBC.

“Nobody benefits when broadcasting stations are shut down. Members of the public have come to rely on these stations to know what their governments are doing to keep them safe in this challenging security environment. Other governments’ policies are also disseminated to the public through these channels,” he stated.