The Nigerian House of Representatives has directed MultiChoice Nigeria, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to suspend its planned subscription rate increase, which was scheduled to take effect on March 1, 2025.
This decision was made during a plenary session on March 4, 2025, following a motion raised by Hon. Esosa Iyawe, representing Oredo Federal Constituency.
In May 2024, MultiChoice implemented a subscription rate hike, which led to public dissatisfaction.
The company announced another increase of 20%-25% across all packages, citing rising operational costs.
The House expressed concern that frequent price hikes, especially by a dominant service provider like MultiChoice, place undue pressure on consumers already facing economic challenges.
Subscribers have criticized the recurrent price increases, highlighting a lack of corresponding improvements in service quality.
The House called on MultiChoice to suspend the proposed subscription rate increase pending a comprehensive investigation.
The Committee on Commerce has been tasked with investigating the rationale behind MultiChoice’s frequent price hikes to ensure the implementation of consumer-friendly policies in the pay-TV sector. The committee is expected to report its findings within four weeks.
