… Governors Commend Bold Move
Still battling with the collapse of his previously launched Pay TV project, Founder of Telecom Satellites Limited (TSTV), Bright Echefu, has announced the launch of LUFT TV, a new pay TV service.
Echefu, who assured that TSTV will still be resuscitated, stated during the unveiling in Abuja that the new pay TV, LUFT TV, will accommodate customers’ needs and guarantee to offer the best entertainment in Nigeria and throughout Africa.
According to him, the new Pay TV will set standards in the entertainment sphere in Nigeria. “LUFT TV is built on cutting-edge technology, delivering crystal-clear HD quality, flexibility to watch on multiple devices, and a subscription plan that is currently the most affordable compared to other existing pay TVs. Our entertainment is on your own terms, anytime, anywhere,” he said.
He said its satellites are already present throughout West Africa, suggesting that LUTF TV is accessible to West Africans.
will be recalled that his earlier launched TSTV ran into murky waters when security authorities started fraud investigations against the management.
Touted as the first and only fully indigenous Pay-TV operator in the country, TSTV entered the industry on October 1, 2017, but went off air in March 2023, after series of service hiccups.
The firm and its management was later embroiled in a N380 million fraud case and a N2bn financial misappropriation case with an investor, MD of Kalsiyam Global, and also a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Mr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, for which the Nigeria Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is investigating.
Echefu denies the allegation, maintaining that the case being prosecuted by the EFCC is a civil loan issue between them and Mr. Tanimu, and should be settled as such.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, however early last month, Mr. Echefu’s bid seeking to stop the Inspector General of Police (IGP) from investigating him in an alleged N2bn case.
The launch of a new Pay TV by the owner of TSTV is seen as a bold step not to interfere in the ongoing investigations into the former, while doggedly pursuing enhancing entertainment experience for Nigerians, and breaking the stranglehold of the dominant MultiChoice.
“Some time ago, we had TSTV. TSTV will be returning. It’s not dead, no. I just want to announce that TSTV is not dead. And, very soon, TSTV subscribers will be able to access LUTF TV. So we haven’t lost anything,” Echefu explained.
He promised that the new Pay TV is dedicated to promoting local values and content while telling Nigeria’s tales, from gripping dramas and memorable music to exhilarating sporting events, among other things.
He claims that LUTF Pay TV is a movement that aims to unite people, inspire them, amuse them, and provide TV that speaks to their individuality rather than just a service.
Speaking at the event, the Governor of Nasarawa State, Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule, lauded Echefu for being “a focused individual with a great mind.”
Alluding to the stories of Globacom and MTN in the telecom subsector, he said: “When MTN started, they claimed there was no per-second call, only per-minute billing. However, with the emergence of Globacom, telco users began paying by the second.”
He explained that at a time when the Nigerian economy is challenging, people should pay as they watch.
He advised LUFT TV’s chairman to ensure that the content on Pay TV focuses on news, youth, sports, commentary, history, and, most importantly, the culture of the Nigerian people.
On his part, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State supported the local initiative embodied in LUFT Pay TV.
According to him, while no platform should be discouraged, it should be able to offer people qualitative options at very affordable prices.
“We must be able to share profits with the people who make business profitable. I therefore salute this initiative, and I want to encourage Nigerians to patronize LUTF TV,” he said.
