The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has invited MultiChoice Nigeria, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to explain its planned subscription price increase, which is scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2025.
In a statement on Tuesday, FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the regulator had summoned MultiChoice’s Chief Executive Officer to appear at its headquarters on February 27 for an investigative hearing.
The summons comes after the pay-TV company announced on Monday a 21% hike in the membership rate for its DStv Compact package, bringing it from N15,700 to N19,000, among other pricing revisions.
Subscribers reacted strongly to the revelation, with many taking to social media to vent their dissatisfaction with the repeated price increases.
In its statement, the consumer watchdog raised alarm about the repeating unilateral price rises, noting that such measures call into question fairness, market abuse, and potential anti-competitive behaviors.
“Exercising its mandate under Sections 32 and 33 of the FCCPA, the FCCPC directed the Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria to attend an investigative hearing at the commission’s headquarters on Thursday, February 27, 2025.
“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,” the statement partly read.
The regulator warned that failing to offer a satisfactory explanation or any infringement of fair market rules could result in penalties, sanctions, or other remedial measures.
The FCCPC also acknowledged that it is engaging the sector regulator and other relevant agencies to ensure fair competition and improved consumer protection in Nigeria’s pay-TV business.
