The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has imposed a ₦150 million fine on Multichoice Nigeria, owners of DSTV and GOTV, for disputing the tribunal’s jurisdiction.
The tribunal also ordered the company to provide a one-month free subscription to all its Nigerian subscribers.
This decision was delivered on Friday by a three-man panel led by Thomas Okusu.
The tribunal’s decision follows an earlier ruling that blocked Multichoice from increasing its subscription fees without adequate notice.
The case was brought forward by Barrister Festus Onifade, who argued that the eight-day notice provided by Multichoice for the price increase was insufficient.
Onifade’s lawsuit accused DSTV of unjustly raising subscription fees without giving customers the required one-month notice, which led to him seeking interim orders from the tribunal.
Multichoice’s legal team argued that previous rulings had resolved the issue of price regulation, but Onifade maintained that his complaint was about the notice period, not the price hike itself.
The tribunal affirmed its jurisdiction over the matter and ruled against Multichoice, resulting in the significant fine and the directive for the free subscription period.
The court emphasized the need for Multichoice to comply with proper notification procedures, reinforcing the consumer protection regulations in Nigeria.
The tribunal has scheduled the hearing for the plaintiff’s substantive suit for July 3.
