The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has instructed MultiChoice Nigeria, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to maintain its current subscription prices while an investigation into the company’s proposed tariff adjustment is ongoing.
The consumer protection agency issued this directive in a statement on Thursday, signed by its Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu.
This follows MultiChoice’s request for an extension regarding its scheduled appearance before the commission, addressing concerns over its recurring price hikes.
The regulator had initially summoned MultiChoice’s CEO to appear for an investigative hearing on February 27.
While the FCCPC granted the company’s request for a postponement, it has now rescheduled the hearing for March 6, 2025, requiring the company’s CEO, relevant officers, and a detailed 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 stressed that the decision to freeze prices is intended to protect consumers from potential exploitation during the investigation.
On Monday, MultiChoice informed its customers about an upcoming price adjustment, explaining it was part of a review of its pricing structure.
Although the company stated that the changes were necessary to maintain the delivery of world-class content, the announcement raised concerns among subscribers.
Under the proposed adjustment, the DStv Compact package would see an increase, while the Compact Plus and Premium bouquets would remain priced 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 provide additional updates as the investigation unfolds.
