The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has instructed MultiChoice Nigeria, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to hold off on the implementation of its new billing system.
The commission directed the company to maintain its current subscription rates pending the conclusion of an ongoing investigation into the company’s upward review of its tariffs.
The directive was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, on Thursday.
The directive follows 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 emphasised that the decision to freeze prices is aimed at preventing potential consumer exploitation during the investigation period.
MultiChoice had notified its customers on Monday of the impending price adjustment, citing 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 said it would provide further updates as the investigation progresses.
