Nigeria – 1959
Nigeria is the first African country to launch a television service. The station was launched in 1959 and was called Western Nigeria Television (WNTV). The television station was set up by the Western Regional Government after financial support from a foreign firm. The station went live on October 31, 1959, and showed programs in English and Yoruba helping develop the Yoruba theatre in Nigeria. The station came under the Nigerian government in 1962 when the Western Regional Government parted with its foreign investors. After gaining independence in 1960, the government brought all small stations in the country together and named them the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).
