Business
FCCPC directs MultiChoice to suspend price hike for further investigation
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has asked MultiChoice Nigeria, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to maintain status quo in subscription prices pending the closure of an ongoing investigation into the company’s proposed tariff adjustment.
The consumer watchdog made this known in a statement signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, on Thursday.
The directive comes on the heels of MultiChoice’s request for an extension regarding its scheduled appearance before the commission over concerns surrounding its recurring price increases.
The regulator had earlier summoned MultiChoice’s Chief Executive Officer to appear before it on February 27 for an investigative hearing.
While the FCCPC granted the company’s request to postpone the session, it has now rescheduled the hearing for March 6, 2025, mandating the company’s CEO, relevant officers, and a comprehensive response to the inquiry.
“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,” the statement read.
The FCCPC noted that the resolve to freeze prices is geared towards preventing potential consumer exploitation during the investigation period.
MultiChoice had notified its customers on Monday of the impending price adjustment, referencing a review of its pricing structure.
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.
This is to enable us to continue offering our customers world-class homegrown and international content, delivered through the best technology.”
The FCCPC stated that it would supply further updates as the investigation progresses.
