Bright Echefu, the creator of Telecom Satellites Limited (TSTV), has launched LUFT TV, another pay television service, years after he abandoned TSTV, a similar venture with thousands of subscribers.
Echefu stated during the Sunday unveiling in Abuja that the new pay TV will accommodate customers’ needs and guarantee to offer the best entertainment in Nigeria and throughout Africa.
He said its satellites are already present throughout West Africa, suggesting that LUTF TV is accessible to West Africans.
The Future Of TSTV Customers
Echefu, on the other hand, spoke about TSTV, which has been off the radar since 2020, and said it is not dead. He alluded to the impending onboarding of TSTV customers to LUFT TV.
“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,” he 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.
Governors Praise Echefu
Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule, the governor of Nasarawa State, praised Echefu as “a focused individual with a great mind” during his remarks at the event.
He said his knowledge of Pay TV was comparable to that of Globacom and MTN in Nigeria.
He claims that when MTN first started, they stated there was only per-minute billing and no per-second calls. However, telco customers started making payments on a second-by-second basis when Globacom emerged.
He clarified that people should pay as they observe during a difficult period for the Nigerian economy.
He counseled the chairman of LUFT TV to ensure that news, youth, sports, commentary, history, and—above all—Nigerian culture are the main content topics on Pay TV.
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang endorsed the local proposal represented by LUFT Pay TV.
He argued that no platform should be discouraged, but it should be able to provide people with high-quality options at very reasonable costs.
“We must be able to share profits with the people who make business profitable. I therefore appreciate this initiative, and I want to encourage Nigerians to support LUTF TV,” he stated.
What To Note
The monopolistic practices of Multichoice, the Nigerian owners of DStv and GOtv, were anticipated to be challenged by Echefu’s establishment of TSTV, a satellite TV business.
Many Nigerians were encouraged by TSTV’s alluring offers when it joined the market on October 1, 2017. It was hailed as the nation’s first and only entirely Indigenous pay-TV provider. It was claimed that its choice to debut on the nation’s Independence Day was a proclamation of “freedom” in the pay-TV sector. However, following the launch, the company vanished.
On October 1, 2020, it returned to provide Nigerians with the greatest Pay-TV experience. Nevertheless, users who purchased the company’s decoders constantly complained about its sporadic service.
With no explanation to customers other than sporadic apologies for “technical glitches” during its active days, TSTV fully vanished from the public eye again in March last year and has stayed silent ever since.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a fraud complaint against TSTV, which is presently worth N380 million.
The EFCC is pursuing a civil loan case against Mr. Tanimu, MD of Kalsiyam Global and a former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, according to Echefu, who refutes the accusation.
