Broadcasting
More Northern States Get MultiChoice Digital Resource Centres
MultiChoice Nigeria, leading provider of video entertainment services, has once again demonstrated its commitment to enhancing education in Nigeria with its resource center intervention, through the donation of digital learning aids to 10 schools each in Jigawa and Zamfara states.
The intervention, a corporate social investment (CSI) initiative dubbed the MultiChoice Resource Centre (MRC) project, involves the provision of a TV set, DStv Explora decoder, satellite dish, a power generating set, uninterrupted power system (UPS), sets of chairs and tables for the laboratory, and other equipment, avails students access to educational TV channels that include: Discovery, Channel ED, National Geographic, History Channel and Mindset, at no cost to the beneficiary schools.
The project, introduced to improve the knowledge levels and understanding of technical subject areas by students, is in its twelfth year and has been launched in 363 schools in 31 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The 10 beneficiary schools in Jigawa State are; Government Model Primary/ Junior Secondary School, Kudai, Government Day Secondary School, Madobi, Government Day Arabic Secondary School, Katangu, Government Day Secondary School, Andaza, School for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Dutse, Government Girls Day (Arabic) Secondary School Baure-dutse, Government Day Secondary School Marabusawa Dutse, Government Day Secondary School Gadadin Dutse, Government Day (Capital) Secondary School Dutse and Government (Commercial) Secondary School Dutse.
While expressing appreciation to MultiChoice Nigeria for donating the resource centres to the state, Mallam Aliu Shungurum, director of Science and Technology, Jigawa State Ministry of Education, said the state government will work hard to ensure that the centres are put to good use. He however, appealed to MultiChoice to extend the initiative to other schools across the nine educational zones in the state.
“Out of the nine educational zones that we have, only one zone is currently benefiting from the MultiChoice Resource Centre project; we appeal to MultiChoice to provide the other zones with the centre as we will work hard to ensure that all schools put the centre to good use” he said.
At the consecutive launch of the MultiChoice Resource Centre (MRC) in Gusau, Zamfara State, the state commissioner for education, Alhaji Mukhtar Lugga represented by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Education, Alhaji Lawan Abubakar, said that the MultiChoice Resource Centre is a user friendly and child-centred device which is designed to aid teaching and learning in public secondary schools across the country.
He stated: “This is a welcome development in our state’s educational sector and we cannot but ask MultChoice to consider rolling-out its resource centres in more schools in our state” he remarked.
Alhaji Abubakar, who explained that the world is now embracing digital learning processes, appealed to trained teachers to also take it upon themselves to teach other teachers so that all teachers in the state will embrace the digital learning process.
In Zamfara state, the 10 beneficiary schools are; Government Girls Day Secondary School, Samar, Gusau, Government Day Secondary School, Janyau, Government Secondary School, Maru, Government Science Secondary School, Gusau, Usman Dangwaggo Secondary School Bungudu, Government Girls Arabic Secondary School, Gusau, Sambo Secondary School, Gusau, Government Girls Unity Secondary School, Kotorkwashi, Government Secondary School, Tsafe and Government Day Secondary School, Ibrahim Gusau.
Representing John Ugbe, Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, Hadiza Isah, MultiChoce Kano Branch Manager, said MultiChoice launched the project with a view to improving the standard of education in public schools in the country primarily, and to give back to its host community.
“MultiChoice as a company believes that improving the standard of education of its host community is one of the ways by which the company, a socially-responsible organization, can create value for the community. We have a strong conviction that the technological, economic, and socio-political advancement of any country and her future are intrinsically tied to the quality of education that the youth are exposed to. MultiChoice intends to take the learning resource centres to all the states of the federation,” she explained.
She also pointed out that MultiChoice will soon spread the resource centres to all the states in the northern region.
The MRC project, which is MultiChoice’s core Corporate Social Investment in the education sector, started in 2004 with launches in Abuja and Lagos state.
Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja has dismissed a class action suit filed by one Uche Diala and 961 other DStv and GOtv subscribers against MultiChoice Nigeria and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), citing lack of jurisdiction.
The suit challenged MultiChoice’s subscription price increases in November 2023 and May 2024, which the claimants described as arbitrary, exploitative, and unfair.
Diala and others sought to reverse the hikes and compel the company to adopt a more flexible billing model, such as a pay-as-you-view system used in other countries like South Africa.
They also accused MultiChoice of price discrimination against Nigerian consumers.
MultiChoice, through its counsel, raised a preliminary objection, arguing that pricing decisions do not fall within the tribunal’s remit and that the suit was improperly filed as a class action without first seeking the tribunal’s leave.
In its ruling on Thursday, the tribunal’s three-member panel led by Justice Thomas Okosun held that the core issues raised, which were pricing and tariff regulation, fall under the exclusive purview of the executive branch, particularly the President, as stipulated under the Price Control Act.
“The issue of price regulation is a matter that falls within the exclusive purview of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Okosun stated.
While the tribunal acknowledged it holds both original and appellate jurisdiction under the FCCPC Act, it emphasized that such authority does not cover general price control unless abuse of market dominance is established—a point the claimants failed to prove.
On the procedural matter of filing a class action without prior approval, the tribunal noted that although it is ideal to obtain leave, failure to do so was not fatal in this instance since the claimants demonstrated a shared grievance and common interest.
Nonetheless, the tribunal upheld MultiChoice’s objection, ruling that it lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter.
“The preliminary objection of the first defendant succeeds,” the panel held. “This suit is accordingly struck out for want of jurisdiction.”
This ruling follows a similar outcome on May 8, when a Federal High Court in Abuja upheld MultiChoice’s price increases after the company sued the FCCPC.
In that judgment, Justice James Omotoso declared that the FCCPC lacked the authority to fix or suspend subscription rates.
MultiChoice Nigeria has slashed the price of its DStv decoder from N20,000 to N10,000, representing a 50 percent drop, in a aim at attracting attract more customers and curb declining subscriptions.
The campaign, titled “We’ve Got You,” was launched on June 16 and will continue until July 31.
Also, as part of its efforts to ease economic pressure on households and improve access to digital TV services, the campaign offers a free upgrade for both active and returning customers.
Speaking on the campaign, John Ugbe, chief executive officer (CEO) of MultiChoice Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to rewarding loyalty and enhancing daily viewing experiences.
“We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day,” Ugbe said.
“The ‘We’veGot You’ campaign is about making premium content more accessible and showing that DStv offers something for everyone, not just football fans.
“By repositioning itself as a platform for daily value, DStv aims to encourage content discovery across a wider array of genres, including movies, drama, kids’ programming, and news.
“This means more channels, more shows, and more reasons to tune in every day.”
The development comes amid MultiChoice Nigeria’s legal battle with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over price hike.
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will, on Oct. 7, arraigned the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Qatar Airways, Mr Temi Birdzell, alongside the company and its top officers, over allegations bordering on breach of FCCPC Act, 2018.
The defendants will be arraigned before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Others to be arraigned with Birdzell are Stella Ihediwa, the Account Manager of the airline; Kennedy Chirchir, the Country Manager and Eva Ojeje, who is the Sales Manager of the company.
Although the arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, the matter could not proceed.
Upon resumed hearing, none of the defendants was in court.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, none of the defendants was in court due to improper service of the court documents, including the hearing notice, on them.
FCCPC.’s lawyer, Chizenum Nsitem, told the court of their inability to serve four of the defendants, although the company was served.
Nsitem then sought an adjournment to enable them do the needful and the judge adjourned the matter until Oct. 7 for the defendants to take their plea.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/200/2025, dragged Qatar Airways, Birdzell, Ihediwa, Chirchir and Ojeje to court as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
FCCPC, in the application dated May 26 but filed May 27, had preferred a two-count charge against the defendants.
The defendants were alleged to have failed to appear before FCCPC in compliance with a lawful summons of the commission dated Sept. 6, 2024, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33 (3) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCPC) Act, 2018.
They were also accused to have on Sept. 18, 2024, intentionally withheld the production of documents in compliance wth a lawful summons of the commission, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 111 of FCCP Act, 2018.
In count three, they were alleged to have on Sept. 18, 2024, engaged in the contravention of the consumer rights, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 124(1) and punishable under Section 155 of the same Act.
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