Nigeria Launches New Audience Measurement System in Lagos

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) launched the first phase of its national Audience Measurement System (AMS) in Lagos on Tuesday, September 1. This initiative, part of the NBC's FreeTV brand, offers participating households 36GB of free mobile data each month to support their internet needs.

The AMS will utilize Peoplemeter technology to capture viewing habits in selected homes, replacing the outdated manual diary-based system. The households were chosen from Nigeria's first nationwide Establishment Survey, which surveyed 60,000 households across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Patrick Gomes, Chief Operating Officer of First Media and Integrated Limited, the technical partner for the AMS, noted that a quarterly incentive would also be introduced based on compliance levels. NBC Director-General Charles Ebuebu described the rollout as a significant advancement for Nigeria's broadcasting sector, promising accurate audience tracking and improved transparency in advertising.

The Lagos rollout is the first of three phases, with future expansions planned for Abuja and Kano.