The Nigerian House of Representatives has instructed MultiChoice Nigeria, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to put its planned subscription price increase on hold.
This decision follows growing public concern over the company’s recent announcement that new rates would take effect from March 1, 2025, a move that has sparked widespread backlash among subscribers.
MultiChoice Nigeria had earlier informed subscribers of adjustments across its various subscription packages. The DStv Premium bouquet was set to increase from N37,000 to N44,500, a 20% rise.
The Compact Plus package was expected to move from N25,000 to N30,000, while the Compact bouquet would go from N15,700 to N19,000.
GOtv subscribers were also affected by the price changes. The Jinja package was set to rise from N3,600 to N3,900, Jolli from N4,850 to N5,800, Max from N7,200 to N8,500, Supa from N9,600 to N11,400, and Supa Plus from N15,700 to N16,800.
According to MultiChoice Nigeria, the price review was necessary due to rising operational costs. The company explained that the adjustments would enable it to maintain the quality of its service and content offerings despite the challenging economic environment.
Iyawe said, “Multichoice recently announced a hike in subscription rates across all its packages, citing rising operational costs. However, this marks the second increase in less than a year, with the last adjustment made in May 2024.”
“Multichoice’s dominance in the market means any price increase has a widespread impact, putting consumers under undue financial pressure,” he added.
The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Commerce to investigate the frequent subscription price hikes by MultiChoice Nigeria.
The committee’s mandate includes assessing the factors driving these increases and recommending policies that prioritize affordability for Nigerian consumers. Lawmakers have set a four-week deadline for the committee to present its findings.
