Nigeria’s Growing Population, Declining TV Viewership: A media paradox

For decades, television occupied a sacred position in the Nigerian home. It was the gathering point of the family, the storyteller, the entertainer, the educator and, for many brands, the most powerful advertising medium available. In a nation blessed with a huge and youthful population, television once enjoyed unquestionable dominance.

From the era of NTA’s nationwide reach to the emergence of privately owned stations and satellite television, the television screen shaped culture, politics, sports, entertainment and consumer behaviour.

Today, however, there is a growing debate within media, advertising and marketing circles. Is television gradually dying in Nigeria?

Nigeria’s population continues to grow rapidly, yet the influence of television appears to be shrinking. While millions of Nigerians still own television sets, actual viewing time is increasingly being challenged by the rise of smartphones, social media platforms, streaming services and short-form video content.

One of the major factors accelerating this shift is the country’s electricity challenge.

Television remains heavily dependent on stable power supply. Unfortunately, power generation and distribution challenges continue to frustrate consumers nationwide. In the midst of this is cost of fuel.

Nigeria’s average power generation has fluctuated between approximately 4,000MW and 5,000MW in recent years despite a population exceeding 220 million people. Repeated grid collapses, gas supply shortages and distribution challenges have continued to affect electricity availability across the country.

Recent industry reports show generation levels hovering around 4,300MW to 4,700MW on average, far below national demand.

For many households, television has become an expensive luxury. Without regular electricity, viewers are forced to depend on generators, inverters or alternative power sources, all of which come with additional costs.

At the same time, the smartphone has emerged as the new king of the media ecosystem. Unlike television, the phone is personal, portable and constantly connected. Consumers can watch videos, follow breaking news, chat with friends, shop online and engage with brands all from a single device.

Recent focus group discussions conducted by The Insight Place in Lagos reveal a growing level of consumer frustration. Participants repeatedly complained about unstable electricity supply, increasing subscription costs and the inconvenience of arranging their schedules around television programming.

An interesting pattern also emerged from the discussions. Women increasingly appear attached to their smartphones, consuming content through social media platforms, messaging applications and video streaming services. Many no longer wait for scheduled television programming. The device is always within reach.

The men may still temporarily return to television whenever a major football tournament such as the FIFA World Cup arrives. Football remains one of television’s strongest remaining attractions.

The premiership , the bundesliga, La Liga and the Italian serie A remain a major attraction for the men.

Outside major sporting events, many families now spend less time around the television set and more time engaging individually with their mobile devices. The implications are enormous.

A decline in television viewership would affect broadcasters, content producers, advertising agencies, media buying companies, actors, presenters, production houses, subscription television providers and even manufacturers of television sets. Entire industries have been built around the power of the television screen.

Globally, there is already evidence that mobile devices are consuming an increasing share of audience attention. Studies in several markets show consumers spending more time on mobile screens than on traditional television viewing.

This raises the big question: Is television dying in Nigeria, or are we the ones killing it?

The answer may not be straightforward. Television itself may not completely disappear. What may disappear is the traditional form in which we have known it. Content will always remain valuable. Storytelling will remain valuable. Sports will remain valuable. News will remain valuable.

What is changing is the screen through which these experiences are consumed.

Perhaps the future lies not in the death of television but in its transformation.

Increasingly, television content is finding its way onto smartphones, tablets and other connected devices. The distinction between television and mobile media is becoming blurred.

This possibility was predicted years ago by Kelechi Nwosu, Managing Director of TBWA Concept, who foresaw a future where the television would eventually merge into the small tube we carry in our hands every day.

Maybe that future is already here. Perhaps the obituary is not for television itself, but for the traditional television set. The future will tell.

Michael Umogun is Director, Business Development The Insight Place, Lagos