NileSat 101 & 102: More TV Channels than you can handle

By
Oluniyi D. Ajao
-

March 2020 update: Nilesat 101 and 102 satellites have bought been decommissioned since 2013. The current Nilesat satellite is the 201. You should read about that instead.

NileSat 201: Free TV & Radio
A satellite dish in Zaria, Nigeria; pointed at NileSat
A satellite dish in Zaria, Nigeria

I had the opportunity to visit Zaria, a town in Northern Nigeria, on my recent trip to that country. I was pleasantly surprised to have observed so many satellite dishes as I was being driven into the city. You can thus imagine my excitement when I got to my relative’s apartment and saw that he also had one of the big dishes. Never mind that power from the national grid was off; that’s what power generators are made for. In a few minutes after my arrival, I was switching through the channels on the satellite receiver; over 200 of them.

Nilesat is an Egyptian company, and the name of a series of Egyptian communications satellites. Nilesat operates multiple geosynchronous communications satellites all of which are stationed at 7 degrees West. The Nilesat satellites deliver more than 470 TV & 104 Audio Channels,  including a wide variety of Egyptian, Arabic & International Channels – most of which are free-to-air. Content include: news, movies, talk shows, reality shows, sports and everything else you can imagine on a satellite tv service.

Nilesat currently operates two satellites: Nilesat 101 and Nilesat 102. I flipped through over 200 channels which were mostly Arabic channels with some having English subtitles. The TV channels were mostly services from Arabic countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Libya, UAE, Tunisia etc. I even saw a channel from Chad Republic. Were these good enough to watch? Yes they were most especially because viewing the channels was absolutely free-of-charge. You pay no monthly subscription so long you have a satellite dish big enough to capture the signals from space.

Nilesat 101 at 7.0°W footprint
Nilesat 101 at 7.0°W footprint

There is a catch: you have to be within the geographic footprint of the NileSat satellites. As you can see from the map to your left, Nigeria is not exactly within the red lines. Thus, those in northern Nigeria need a bigger dish to be able to capture the signals. Despite the big dishes used in Zaria, some of the TV channels still cracked since the signal strength was low. This means only those at the extremely northern part of West Africa have access to the NileSat services.

Some of the TV channels include:

  • Fox Movies Middle East
  • Rotana Cinema
  • Alhurra Iraq
  • ERTU 1 Sat
  • Al Kahera wa Al Nas
  • Nile TV International
  • Al Masriyah
  • Al-Jamahirya TV
  • Ashorooq TV
  • Alrai TV
  • Jaras TV
  • BBC World News ME
  • Al Hedaya
  • Music Plus
  • Dubai One
  • Dubai Sports
  • Sama Dubai
  • Dubai TV
  • Sharjah TV
  • Space Toon Arabic
  • Nojoom 1
  • CNBC Arabiya
  • Al Sharqiya TV
  • Dubai Racing

Nilesat 101 and Nilesat 102 are located at 7.0°W.

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Oluniyi D. Ajao
Oluniyi D. Ajao
https://olu.ceo
Oluniyi D. Ajao is an Internet Entrepreneur and Tech Enthusiast based in South Africa. Follow him on twitter @niyyie for more tech updates.
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206 Comments

  4. i’ve got the Multi-Tv installed at home… Besides the 10 tv stations it comes with… can anyone please teach me how to get more Tv channels using my multi-tv reciever???

  6. I have the dstv decoder,Any luck watching free channels in south africa and kenya except supreme FTA?
    Would other decoders offer more?

  7. I have the dstv decoder,Any luck watching free channels in south africa and kenya except supreme FTA?
    Would other decoders offer more?
    Eddu.

  15. I want to know the number and names of FTA channels on Nilesat, Hotbird, Astra and Arabsat. I am using 2.4M Mesh with motorized jack.

    Thank you.

  16. hello, thanks for the enlightenment on nilesat. i served in nothern part of Nigeria and i enjoyed the FTA channels on this satellite. can you pls educate me on how this signal can be recieved in Lagos or is it quite impossible. I will appreciate aprompt and full explanation

    • You need a big dish to receive NileSat signals anywhere in southern parts of Nigeria. A minimum of 2.4 metre dish. That is the most important factor. I suggest you speak with a satellite installer in your locality for futher assistance.

    • I am not an expert in FTA but i think the direction of nilesat is west and that is exactly the opposite direction which a Dstv dish is facing

  20. Pls need satellites and freq on which i can get bbc,al jazeera LC2 NTA,DD-SPORTS,AIT LTV CCTV PTV on fta with 2.4 C-BAND also can i enjoy nilesat.jacob from makurdi

  26. pls, i need information on CRTV new 50 channel frequency and symbol rate to my e mail address. Thanks from Ikorodu Lagos State

  28. please i live in Calabar and has the strong SRT 4669X .Pls i do not know the numbers for TP and SR as well as how to enter them into the decoder.Hope someone will help out.The strong manual shows i can get Nilesat.

  29. .please i will like to recieve NILESAT tv stations. i live in Calabar and has the strong SRT 4669X .Pls i do not know the numbers for TP and SR as well as how to enter them into the decoder.Hope someone will help out.The strong manual shows i can get Nilesatpls. i will also like to recieve NILESAT and any other satelites close to it using ku and C bands that i can get withought focusing away from the NILESAT direction

  30. please i will like to recieve NILESAT tv stations. i live in Calabar and has the strong SRT 4669X .Pls i do not know the numbers for TP and SR as well as how to enter them into the decoder.Hope someone will help out.The strong manual shows i can get Nilesatpls. i will also like to recieve NILESAT and any other satelites close to it using ku and C bands that i can get withought focusing away from the NILESAT direction.My dish is 3.8 meter

  31. May God increasing u in knowledge. I am presently living gambia and enjoying nilesat and planning of going back to my country (Nigeria, kwara state). Pls, is possible to get nilesat in kwara state (north central of nig.) with 1.8m disc wide…thanks

  32. I have strong DVB 4652 mpeg2 I was able 2 wach infinity channels but i cant be able 2 receive Gtv and joy tv channels. I will appreciate it if somebody can help me with Freq and symb rate

  33. Well done my brother. You are doing a good work. Please, can you furnish me with detailed requirements a la dish size, decoder type, LNBF etc for Viewing Al-Jazeera Sports and Abu Dhabi in Lagos, Nigeria? Please, includes the estimated cost of the parts.

    Any idea of the cost of the Al-Jazeera and Abu Dhabi cards?

    Thanks

  34. I discovered that some of the infinity chanel do show picture but there is no audio, why is it so? is it from the setting or from the site? and again why is it most station repeat a movie for more than a week, please an improvement is nedded on most of the stations.

  38. Hello my people,how u guys day abeg i need some stuff for my HITV at list free to air frequency and symbol rate that can work for my hitv decoder am in akwa,ibom state,any body that av should pls help me by sending the frequency and symbol rate to my email box [email protected] or to my phone number 08037710815 god bless u guys for help ur brain will not die,

  52. hello,
    i would like to know if i can get nile sat with an mpeg 4 decoder or multi tv and also would i get english premier league matches live and an x rated channel from my location.
    kindly help me to do that and also add up channels if possible.
    accra new bortianor on the kasoa winneba road

  54. please, help me to list the names of satellites i can receive with a 90cm dish. i’ll be so grateful for your info. i use strong srt 4663x

  58. Am having problems tracking nss7c with 1.8m dish from lagos can it be the weather,and how sure can one get nilesat with 2.4m dish from lagos.keep up the good work.thanks

  64. kindly send me the freq and sr for the following free to air stations: ait nigeria, gtv, metro tv, viasat 1, galaxy tv, sabc 1,2 and 3 codes, and international tv network uganda and sports tv uganda ltd. thanks and keep up the good work

  66. Kindly send me the frequency of Fox Series Channel on Nilesat 101, since 2 days stopped comming on my TV, Is there any other frequency, than 12130 Vertical

  71. wow thank you Bro I can find the nilesat with 90 cm dish in Ethiopia but I cannot find the English version of NatGeo channel and the mbc channels how can i get them in English? Thank you for the answer ….

  73. pls help me with my c band, I’m an installer but I only install ku band dishes, now I bought a c band dish and wants to install pls would help me frequencies that work in ghana. hope U ‘ll get to me soonner…

  74. pls mr oluniyi,can i have the freq and tp to watch spanish league,am using strong dec 4669X with 90cm in lagos,and what wrong with CRTV.

  76. Hello bro, i lov ur work. And i’d appreciate it furder if u’d giv me nilesat frequency and tp numbers respectively. Thanks a lot.

  77. Help me with d nilsat freqency number and there symbolrate, with 2.8 dish can it work in eastern part of nigeria please reply me soon

  81. i live in mombasa kenya and i am using a 126 cm dish and an astrovox 290 plus how do i get nilesat 101 at 7 w fta chanels?

  84. pls am installing c band in ghana.i need all the frequencies .am using one ku and two c-band.one with diaphram and the other non-diaphram.thanks

  85. Am in lagos state and I want 2 get a dish and decoder bt 1st I want 2 knw which of the cable netwrk providers I can go 4 and which of them shows fox entertainment,hbo and cwtv all this are mainly seasonal film showing stations. Is it nilesat,dstv hitv?

    • Gud day Felix Uko, There is no way you can get nilesat signal with 90cm in Nigeria as a whole except 1.8m and above but in your region south south in Nigeria is 3m dish for better signal

  89. Okechukwu 4rm Owerri Nigeria,I hv 2.4 dish .i hv nilesat signal.pls if you can help me with frequency and symble rate of Aljezera sports,fox,dubai sports,rotana cinima,movies,mbc action and any fta channels.pls reply me soon

    • Gud day Solomon, Am Brasil by name(satellites installer) reside in Abuja Nigeria, fox-movies is still in 11766H27500 and fox-series is now in 12226H27500

  91. Which satellite can I receive North American and European channels without charge, from my location here in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria.

  96. Pls, i am in Lagos, i want to know if there is a way i can get nilesat without using 2.4m dish, if its subscription, i ll subscribe, cos d place am staying does not ve d space of 2.4m dish. dstv doesnt ve those channels. I still need a phone number of any installer here in Lagos dat ll put me through. Pls help me. Thank u

  97. pls what are the requirements for having your programme transmitted in a sat tv, say intelsat 7,10k. i mean, launching my church functions into it for the world to view

  102. Dear David,
    THANKS 4 UR GOOD JOB.

    HELP ME WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION.

    I’m IN NIGERIA WITHIN 6.28N & 9.15E IN OBANLIKU LGA OF CROSS RIVER STATE. I’M INTERESTED IN VIEWING FTA CHANNELS OF HOTBIRD 8 & 9. I’M IN DEAR DESIRE TO VIEWING MOSTLY ENGLISH BROADCAST CHANNEL FROM THESE SATELLITES. ESPECIALLY AL JAZERA, WORLD’S FASHION, TRINITY BROADCASTING, JCTV, BBC, CNC WORLD, etc.
    ALSO I’M IN NEED OF FREESAT, FREE2VIEW & SKY UK THAT CARRY A LOTS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRANSMISSION.

    WHAT DISH SIZES DO I NEED FOR W5, HOTBIRD & NILESAT 101/102? HOW & WHERE DO SUBSCRIBE FOR SERVICE FROM THESE TARGET?
    THANKS FOR HELPING US DAILY.

  103. Recently I was trying a blind scan with 90cm dish and i was able to get this nilesat signal giving 500 or so channels herein uganda I think the footprint was improved.

  105. Assalamu alaikum.pls I need 2 hv foxmovie new frequency on my nilesat. Reply 2 me 2ru dis mail. Thank u foxtv team.frm ABUJA NIGERIA.

  109. I’m currently viewing packages from Nilesat 201,Ab7 and Ab3 both at 7°w and 8°w with 90 cm dish in Kenya.Can anybody tell me where to buy al jazeera card in Kenya.

  110. i tried the frequencies on my strong mpeg 4 decoder but no channel came only the multitv channel and now i think and now the infinity channels are now pay tv not free to air so please me.

  112. Mr Dave, I really apreciate dis forum. I av been wrkin on nilesat using net dish, nd tracking wit aljzeera frequency 10992. I got d signal wit 2.4m net dish. But, d challenge am having nw is dt. All d channels re nt coming. I only av d channels on aljzeera frequency. Even blind scan did nt scan any other channels. Pls help me out ooo. I av 2 abandon it n post my customer. Wat can I do?

  114. one luv 2 u.i am in d south-south,pls i am also instalie in need fta freq,and breakin of key code channel west and east.help me out.

  117. hi am prince and can i get nilesat in kumasi-Ghana and please send me a code to unscrumble channels on my strong decorder

  119. can i get nile sat in Accra Ghana.
    i want the frequency.
    i also want the frequency of al jazeera sports that i can used in Ghana.
    thanks you.

  120. Thanks 4 the information,am in kenya and if you are using a 6ft dish,65cm dish 2ku band lnbs and astrovox 290 plus u only need hawk 70fta to view aljazeera spts and all dstv channels.

  124. i need south indian tamil,malayalam,hindi now i am in riyadh saudiarab,i need satlite and frequency ,symbol rate pls kindly send the details thru my mail

  125. i need south indian tamil,malayalam,hindi now i am in riyadh saudiarab,i need satlite and frequency ,symbol rate pls kindly send the details thru my mail

  130. I have an astrovox FTA decoder VSR-100, i get over 600 channels but all in arabic with only 4 enlish channels? How do i get more english channels or european signals?

  131. Thanks for this opportunity. What are the channels in nilesat 101 & 102? If i buy HD decoder for nilesat, will i get more channels for free? Pls reply and thanks

  132. Sir how cn i watch aljzra & europian futbll chanls in malawi to which satryt cn i u use i hv a 90cm dish. I be glad if u may help.

  133. plzzzzzzz i urjently need fta channels 4rm nilesat with tps and d size of dish and lnb to track i live in okene kogi state nigeria i will be very gratefull tanx.

  138. Hi, i have installed a 90cm dish with Humax HD-free receiver in ongata rongai, nairobi, kenya and am getting 100% picture quality and 85% signal strength, is this enough to get channels when i do a blind search ? please assist urgently !

  147. Is there FTA channels for English premier legue on Arab sat?Is there FTA channels for English premier legue on Arab sat?Is there FTA channels for English premier legue on Arab sat?Is there FTA channels for English premier legue on Arab sat?

  148. First I would like to thank you for free experience share, secondly, I can find the nilesat with 90 cm dish in Ethiopia but I cannot find the English version of NatGeo channel and the mbc channels. Please, how can i get them in English? Thank you for the answer

  150. Does it imply that individuals from southern Nigeria are excluded from NileSat services, since all the stations are Arabic?

  151. Greetings to every one on this side. Please i need help from any one who know the solution to my problem, I have a 2.9 meter dish that i build but my problem is that i need the you people to help me with the distance from the LNB to the center of the 2.9 m dish. I have just guest the distance but its working but on nilesat, eutelsat 7west A, i can only receive MBC pro sport but i can not receive MBC Action and the rest because of low signal. please i need the distance from LNB to the middle of the 2.9m dish. thanks to you all.

  153. i am mr Abderrezak from ALGERIA i want watch nigerian channels also of lagos if you send to me the list and frequencies too,i can watch it?for buy second dish in line nile sat i wait who give me,and i leave

  157. Is it hard to find satellite installers in Nigeria? In the US it’s tricky to local a professional installer. Maybe in Nigeria more people are willing to do it themselves?

  158. Wow, there are people here from all over the world… Honestly, for whatever reason, it seems like Nigeria is the mecca of all things satellite. Maybe only 2nd to the US. I actually had someone from Nigrea call me once! (I’m in the US.)

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