President Muhammadu Buhari has approved licenses for 159 companies, communities and institutions of higher learning to operate radio and television stations.

Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Malam Balarabe Ilelah, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday.

“Following the approval granted by the president, NBC has released the list of 159 licenses granted to companies, communities and institutions of higher learning.

“The commission was established by the NBC ACT, Cap. N11, Laws of the Federation 2004 with the mandate to regulate and control broadcasting in Nigeria.

“Today, there are a total of 625 functional broadcast stations in Nigeria,’’ Ilelah stated.

The D-G said that the newly-approved licenses were the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro (Radio), Prospective Union of Reno People (Radio), Smile Community Radio Initiative, and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Radio.

He said others are Dudu African Broadcasting Communications Ltd., Independent Television, Prince Media Network, Jamkat Integrity Investment Ltd., Hikima Media Services, and Galaxy Television Radio.

“Others are H-i Fidelity Communications, B360 Nigeria Ltd., Communication Faculties Ltd., Godfrey Okoye University Radio, Art Broadcasting Company, Hamdana Media, Sunshine Radio, BluePrint Newspapers Ltd., NV Broadcasting Company Ltd., and others.