The House of Representatives has directed Multichoice, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to suspend its planned subscription price hike, citing the current economic challenges facing Nigerians.
This decision came after the adoption of a motion presented by Esosa Iyawe, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Edo State.
While presenting the motion, Iyawe highlighted that the latest price increase, announced for May 2024, had sparked public outrage. He noted that many Nigerians, already struggling with the rising cost of living, were forced to stop using their pay-TV services, frustrated by the lack of competition in the sector.
“The House observes that Multichoice recently raised prices across all its packages in Nigeria, attributing the decision to rising operational costs,” he stated.
He further pointed out that this would be the second subscription hike in less than a year, following a similar increase in May 2024.
“We are deeply concerned that this trend of price hikes puts undue financial pressure on consumers, especially given Multichoice’s dominant position in the pay-TV industry,” he added.
Iyawe also noted that many subscribers have taken to social media to express their frustration, criticizing frequent price increases without any significant improvement in service quality.
Following the adoption of the motion, the House instructed Multichoice to suspend the price hike until a thorough investigation is conducted.
Additionally, the House mandated its Committee on Commerce to probe the alleged arbitrary increases and recommend policies that would ensure fair pricing in the pay-TV sector. The committee is expected to present its findings within four weeks.
