Despite a court order by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja, Multichoice Nigeria has boldly proceeded with a hike in subscription rates for its DSTV and GOTV packages, sparking outrage among millions of subscribers.
The CCPT had issued a ruling on Monday, restraining Multichoice Nigeria Limited from increasing its subscription tariffs and the cost of products and services, which were scheduled to take effect on May 1.
However, the company has disregarded the court order, implementing the new prices and leaving subscribers with no option but to pay the increased rates.
The CCPT’s initial ruling had been celebrated as a victory for consumers, who had protested against the price hike, citing economic hardship and the lack of justification by the company for the increase. The defiance of the court order by Multichoice Nigeria raises serious questions about its commitment to ethical business practices and adherence to the law.
In response to Multichoice’s actions, the CCPT has granted an application for substituted service of the interim order, restraining the company from increasing tariffs on DSTV and GOTV packages.
The three-member tribunal, presided over by Saratu Shafii, approved the applicant’s motion following allegations that officers of the pay-TV firm in Abuja refused to accept service of the order and other court documents.
Festus Onifade, the applicant, revealed on Wednesday that the CCPT bailiff reported that a top manager at the Multichoice Abuja office instructed that the documents be directed to their Lagos headquarters.
Consequently, the tribunal granted the order of substituted service in accordance with Section 48 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018 and Part N, Order 14 Rule 11(1) of the CCPT Rule 2021.
