Privatization of the electronic media in Nigeria

Abstract

In analyzing the Nigerian federal military government Decree No. 38 of 1992, which was promulgated to regulate private electronic communications in Nigeria, this article argues that few of the decree's goals have been achieved. One achievement is a return to order in a previously chaotic media environment, while failures include the inability to control programming content and foreign satellite signals. The analysis begins with a review of the Nigerian media environment prior to the decree, and then focuses on the goals of the decree as well as the present media environment in Nigeria.