Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has directed MultiChoice Nigeria, the parent company of DStvand GOtv, to maintain its current subscription prices.
The FCCPC said the directive remains valid until the ongoing investigation into its proposed price hike is concluded.
The commission said, “This directive follows MultiChoice Nigeria’s request for an extension regarding its scheduled appearance before the Commission.
“While the FCCPC has granted the request, the company is now required to attend the rescheduled investigative hearing on March 6, 2025, along with all relevant officers and a comprehensive response.
“Pursuant to this, MultiChoice is expressly instructed to maintain the existing price structure as of February 27, 2025, pending the Commission’s review and final determination on the matter.”
FCCPC said maintaining the status quo on pricing is essential to prevent any potential consumer harm.
Multichoice had notified its customers of an upward review of their plans effective March 1, 2025.
Multichoice told subscribers that its premium DSTV package has been reviewed to N44,500 from N37,000 and Compact Plus reviewed to N30,000 from N25,000.
The DSTV Confam plan was raised from N9300 to N11,000; Yanga and Padi were reviewed to N6,000 (N5200) and N4,000 (N3,600), respectively.
The price for GOtv Supa Plus was raised to N16,800 from N15,700; the Supa package was reviewed to N11,400 from N9,600; the Max plan was reviewed from N7,200 to N8,500; the Jolli plan was reviewed to N5,800; and Jinja and Smallie were reviewed to N3,900 and N1,900, respectively.
The development prompted FCCPC to summon Multichoice to attend an investigative hearing at the Commission’s headquarters on Thursday, February 27, 2025.
According to FCCPC, Multichoice has to provide a satisfactory explanation for its action.
The commission said, “This action follows MultiChoice’s formal notification of the price adjustment, which raises concerns about recurrent unilateral price hikes, potential market dominance abuse, and perceived anti-competitive practices in the pay-TV industry.
“The FCCPC is deeply concerned that Nigerian consumers continue to face frequent price increases, amid accusations that MultiChoice applies different pricing strategies in other markets, heightening questions about fairness and market abuse.”