Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has filed a charge against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and John Ugbe, its chief executive officer, for allegedly violating regulatory directives and obstructing an ongoing inquiry.

The three counts filed before the Federal High Court Lagos, bordered on willful implementation of a price hike contrary to the Commission’s directives, an offence which violates Section 33(4) of the FCCPC Act.

The other counts are on the company’s disregard for instructions to suspend the hike in violation of Section 110, and attempt to mislead the Commission by proceeding with the increase without objection contrary to Section 159(2), and punishable under Section 159(4)(a) and (b) of the FCCPA 2018 Act.

On February 24, 2025, MultiChoice announced a price increase for its DStv and GOtv subscription packages, set to take effect on March 1, 2025.

This announcement came nearly one year after a previous price hike and sparked a public backlash, prompting the FCCPC to intervene.

On February 27, 2025, the FCCPC expressly directed MultiChoice Nigeria to maintain its current pricing structure pending the conclusion of an investigative hearing of its proposed price hike.

However, the FCCPC alleged that MultiChoice Nigeria proceeded with the price increase despite these warnings in violation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.

The Commission said that by disregarding its directive and implementing the price hike before appearing before the Commission’s investigative hearing on March 6, 2025, MultiChoice has by its actions flouted regulatory processes and also demonstrated a pattern of conduct that undermines consumer rights and fair competition

In addition to the legal actions, the FCCPC disclosed that it is reviewing further enforcement measures, including potential sanctions and penalties, and regulatory interventions, to ensure compliance and accountability.

The Commission reassured Nigerians that it is committed to protecting them against exploitative business practices and ensuring that dominant players in any sector adhere to fair market principles and legal compliance.

House of Representatives yesterday. directed Multichoice, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to immediately suspend its planned increase in subscription rates, citing the current economic challenges facing Nigerians.

The Pay-TV provider recently announced a price adjustment, set to take effect from March 1, which would see the DStv Premium package rise from N37,000 to N44,500, while Compact+ subscribers would pay N30,000 instead of N25,000. The Compact bouquet would also increase from N17,000 to N19,000.

The directive followed a motion moved by Esosa Iyawe, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker representing Edo State, during Tuesday’s plenary session.

Iyawe highlighted that Multichoice had cited rising operational costs as the reason for the hike, but noted that this would be the second increase in less than a year, with the last adjustment occurring in May 2024.

“Multichoice recently announced a hike in subscription rates across all its packages, citing rising operational costs. However, this marks the second increase in less than a year, with the last adjustment made in May 2024.” Iyawe stated.

He further emphasized that the previous hike had sparked widespread public outrage, forcing many Nigerians to abandon their decoders due to the lack of competition in the pay-TV sector.

“Multichoice’s dominance in the market means any price increase has a widespread impact, putting consumers under undue financial pressure,” he added.

Following the adoption of the motion, the House resolved that Multichoice should halt the proposed hike pending a thorough investigation.

The lawmakers also mandated the House Committee on Commerce to probe the recurring increases in subscription fees and ensure cost-effective policies for Nigerian consumers.

The committee was given four weeks to submit its findings.