By Esi-ife Arogundade
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has ordered MultiChoice Nigeria, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, to hold its subscription prices steady while an investigation into a proposed tariff increase is underway.
In a statement released on Thursday, Feb 27, 2025, by Ondaje Ijagwu, FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, the directive comes as a response to MultiChoice’s request for an extension regarding its scheduled appearance before the commission. This request was prompted by concerns related to the company’s frequent price hikes.
Though the FCCPC has granted MultiChoice a postponement of the hearing, it has set a new date for March 6, 2025. The commission insists that the company’s CEO, along with relevant officers, will need to provide a detailed response during this inquiry.
The FCCPC emphasized that the decision to freeze prices is intended to protect consumers from potential exploitation during the investigation period. “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 noted.
Previously, the regulator had summoned MultiChoice’s Chief Executive Officer to appear on February 27 for an investigative hearing regarding the pricing concerns.
