SECTOR 2 By and large, access to ICTs in Nigeria has increased over the years, with more and more citizens connected to the internet and using inexpensive computers, cell phones and other communication terminals. Panellists said it was hard to find a Nigerian without a cell phone, or a place without network coverage, even if of poor quality. Some panellists said market forces, rather than comprehensive government policy, was responsible for the high ICT penetration in the country and that the authorities used laws such as the Cyber Crimes Act as a pretext to hamper the full enjoyment of ICTs by citizens. Despite being among the most innovative countries in Africa, Nigeria has twice missed the deadline for migrating from analogue to digital broadcasting. According to some panellists, two former chief executives of NBC (the commission responsible for the digital switch) are facing corruption charges running into billions of naira. Furthermore, the authorities appear undecided on what setup boxes or digitisers old TV set owners would need to buy to make the digital switch. A company licensed to produce the set-up boxes failed to honour its deadline and a new contractor has now been commissioned to produce them in Korea, possibly at a lower cost. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: Score of previous years: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓✓ ✓✓✓ ✓ ✓ 2.5 2008: n/a; 2011: 1.3; 2015: 2.6 2.12 Government does not use its power over the placement of advertisements as a means to interfere with editorial content Both the federal and state governments are big advertisers in Nigeria. These authorities also have control over parastatals, which manage big advertising budgets. Panellists said federal and state governments have used this vantage position to weaponise advertising and use it to exercise editorial control over the private media. One panellist said: Advert placing is discriminatory. Some state houses keep lists of friendly and hostile media, which they use to give or deny advertising. 33 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NIGERIA 2019