Stations that broadcast materials considered to be hate speech are now to pay N5m fine.
Hitherto, fine for hate speech was N500,000.
The new fine was made public by the Minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, during the unveiling of the amended portion of the sixth edition of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) code, in Lagos.
Mohammed said that Federal Government would not cave in to any pressure opposed to the new code.
He warned that stations that rebroadcast foreign news materials that endanger national security or national interest would be penalised.
“What I have observed in the reactions to the amendment are interests who believe that their singular business interest is superior to the national interest.
“Therefore, they have resorted to all kinds of blackmail, using hack writers. Ladies and gentlemen, we remain unperturbed, because we are acting in the national interest,” he said.
