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.