The House of Representatives has instructed Multichoice, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, to suspend its planned subscription rate hike due to the current economic conditions.
Multichoice recently announced price increases for its DStv packages, effective from March 1, 2025. For instance, the cost of the DStv premium bouquet rose from N37,000 to N44,500, while Compact+ subscribers will now pay N30,000, up from N25,000. Compact package subscribers will also face a price increase from N17,000 to N19,000.
This decision followed a motion presented by Esosa Iyawe, an All Progressives Congress (APC) member from Edo State, who raised concerns about the price hike. Iyawe pointed out that the 20-25% increase marked the second hike within less than a year, the first being in May 2024. He also emphasized the public backlash against the previous increase, with many Nigerians already struggling with rising living costs.
The motion argued that Multichoice’s dominance in the pay-TV sector means that its price hikes affect many consumers and lead to widespread dissatisfaction, with many customers criticizing the lack of service improvements despite the price increases.
As a result of the motion’s adoption, the House called for a suspension of the proposed price hike until a thorough investigation can be conducted. The House also tasked its Committee on Commerce with examining the price increases and ensuring that policies within the pay-TV sector are more consumer-friendly. The committee has been given four weeks to submit its findings.
