FOR A SPIRITUALLY uplifting Lenten observance for Catholic faithful in Nigeria and beyond, the Catholic Television of Nigeria (CTV) has sought and been granted a special platform on the nation’s leading broadcast service, DSTV.
The development is contained in a letter to the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja and all Catholic clergy in the archdiocese, signed by Rev. Fr. Patrick Alumuku, on behalf of CTV, the slot is a special gift marking the beginning of the Lenten season.
The Letter, entitled: “REQUEST FOR ANNOUNCEMENT AT ALL MASSES, ATHOLIC TELEVISION OF NIGERIA NOW ON DSTV FOR LENT”, CTV is now live on DSTV Channel 197 and GOtv Channel 115.
The channel, Rev. Fr. Alumuku stated, went live on February 17th, 2026, the day before Ash Wednesday, providing a spiritually enriching companion for Catholics as they embark on the 40-day journey of Lent.
Fr. Alumuku also revealed that the initiative is designed to foster the core Lenten values of fasting, sacrifice, prayer, and charity through quality television programming.
The Catholic priest further revealed that the 40-day broadcast is also serving as a “pre-qualification” period for CTV to secure a permanent channel on DSTV platform, noting that the ultimate success of this endeavour hinges on the viewership numbers garnered during Lent.
He therefore urgently appealed to parishes, families, and Catholic faithful across the nation to actively support the station by tuning in, stressing that high viewership statistics are critical to demonstrating the demand for a dedicated Catholic channel on the premium network.
“We are pleased to inform you that DSTV has offered us this Lenten gift on its Premium Platform,” the announcement reads, noting: “Our presence on DSTV in these 40 days is meant to serve as a pre-qualification for a permanent channel. The qualification will depend on the number of people who watch this new channel.”
To ensure a permanent home for Catholic programming, the station’s leadership implores parish priests to announce the news at all Masses and encourage families to share the information with friends and relatives.
