The House of Representatives has directed Multichoice, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, to halt its planned subscription price increase due to the country’s current economic challenges.
Multichoice recently announced that, effective March 1, subscription rates would rise, with DStv Premium increasing from N37,000 to N44,500, Compact+ from N25,000 to N30,000, and Compact from N17,000 to N19,000.
The directive followed a motion by Edo lawmaker Esosa Iyawe, who expressed concerns over the frequent price hikes.
“The House notes that Multichoice recently announced an increase in subscription prices, citing economic factors and rising operational costs,” Iyawe stated.
He further noted that this would be the second price hike in less than a year, following a similar increase in May 2024.
“We are concerned that the increase in May sparked public outrage, with many Nigerians struggling with the high cost of living opting to abandon their decoders due to the lack of competition in the pay-TV sector,” he added.
Iyawe also pointed out that the latest hike has led to widespread criticism, with many subscribers taking to social media to voice their frustrations over frequent increases without a corresponding improvement in service quality.
Following the motion’s adoption, the House urged Multichoice to suspend the price increase and mandated its Committee on Commerce to investigate the company’s pricing policies. The committee has four weeks to present its findings, with a focus on ensuring consumer-friendly policies in Nigeria’s pay-TV sector.