GOtv, DStv's Price Hike to Continue as Court Stops FG From Taking Action Against MultiChoice

• A federal high court has restrained the federal government from taking actions against multichoice
• The FCCPC had issued a halt order, preventing Multichoice from implementing the hike in prices
• The latest court order means that Nigerians will start paying the increased prices immediately

Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.

The planned price hike for GOtv and DStv subscription packages will continue as planned, as a Federal High Court has stopped the federal government from taking any action against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited.

The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, issued an order to restrain the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) from taking “any administrative steps” against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited.

Following the announced hike in DStv and GOtv subscription prices, the FCCPC had asked MultiChoice to halt implementation of the hike and maintain status quo, until investigations into the proposed hike are completed.

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MultiChoice Nigeria’s chief executive officer was summoned before the commission to defend the planned subscription price hikes, and allegations including over-frequent price hikes, potential market dominance abuse, and anti-competitive practices within the pay-TV industry.

However, the court order has not stopped this action, thus permitting MultiChoice to proceed with the planned hikes.

The order issued by Justice James Omotosho came in response to an ex parte motion filed by MultiChoice’s lawyer, Moyosore J. Onigbanjo (SAN), against the FCCPC, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/379/2025, Leadership news reports.

Multichoice increases prices again

Just weeks ago, Multichoice Nigeria announced another price increase, moving the price of the DStv Compact package from N15,000 to N19,000, Compact Plus package from N25,000 to N30,000, and the DStv Premium package from N37,000 to N44,500.

Confam will pay N11,000 instead of N9,000, Yanga subscribers will pay N6,000 from N5,100 and Padi subscribers pay N4,400 from N3,600.

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For GOtv subscribers, Super Plus subscribers will pay N16,800 from N15,700, and the Super package will go for N11,400 from N9,600. Others are Max at N8,500 from N7,200, Joli subscribers will pay N5,800 from N4,850, Jinja subscribers will pay N3,900 from N3,300 and Smallie subscribers will pay N1,900 from N1,575.

This increase comes barely nine months after the last price increase in May 2024, which the company ascribed to inflation and growing costs of operations.

Customers vented their frustrations on social media, complaining about how the absence of viable competition left them with no choices.

House of Reps warns MultiChoice against the hike

In the weeks that followed the announcement, MultiChoice Nigeria was asked by the House of Representatives to stop raising the price of DStv and GOtv bundle.

The house ordered the information committee to look into Multichoice's "arbitrary increase in subscription prices", after a motion of urgent public interest, sponsored by Edo state lawmaker Esosa Lyawe, was adopted.

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Multichoice ignores FG, implements DStv, GOtv Price Hike

In related news, MultiChoice has ignored the order from the FCCPC and gone ahead to implement the new subscription price for DStv and GOtv.

Findings by Legit.ng show that the new rates became effective on Saturday, March 1, 2025, as per the MultiChoice announcement on Thursday, February 27, 2025.

The new rates implements an average of 21 percent increase on previous rates, making it the second hike in 10 months.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng