FCCPC to the Rescue: Directs MultiChoice To Suspend Fee Hike

MultiChoice Nigeria, the operator of DStv and GOtv, has been ordered by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to keep its present subscription rates in place until the investigation into the company’s proposed tariff adjustment is finished.

Additionally, the agency emphasized that the purpose of the price freeze is to stop possible consumer exploitation while the inquiry is ongoing.

Ondaje Ijagwu, the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, revealed this in a statement on Thursday.

The ruling comes in response to MultiChoice’s request for an extension of its planned commission appearance due to worries about its frequent pricing hikes.

The hearing has been rescheduled for March 6, 2025, despite the FCCPC granting the company’s request to postpone the session. The new date requires the company’s CEO, pertinent executives, and a thorough response to the inquiry.

Part of the statement reads, “As part of this directive, 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.”

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The chief executive officer of MultiChoice was previously called by the regulator to come before it for an investigative hearing on February 27.

Citing a study of its pricing structure, MultiChoice informed its subscribers on Monday of the upcoming price hike.

While the company stated that the changes were necessary to continue delivering world-class content, the development sparked concerns from subscribers.

Under the proposed adjustment, the DStv Compact package would be increased, while the Compact Plus and Premium bouquets would remain at N30,000 and N44,500, respectively.

In its notice titled “Price Adjustments for DStv and GOtv Packages,” the company said, “Dear Customer, please note that effective March 1, 2025, there will be a price adjustment on all DStv packages.