Advanced Television

Nigeria: Court order bans DStv rate hike

August 21, 2018

By Chris Forrester

Nigeria’s Federal High Court has ruled Multichoice cannot increase subscription rates on its local DStv pay-TV service.

The action was brought by Nigeria’s Consumer Protection Council (CPC), and which had asked for an interim injunction on the planned price rises pending a full court hearing.

The CPC argued that it wanted an investigation into DStv under a commitment given back in February 2016, and was now renewing other issues as to whether DStv’s business practices were in violation of the law and rights of consumers in Nigeria. The conduct under review include: alleged unfairness, arbitrariness and excessiveness of pricing and billing systems.

The CPC told the court that DStv had “pre-emptively and surreptitiously introduced a subscription regime which imposes increased charges and costs on Nigerian Consumers of digital satellite television service with effect from 1st August, 2018”.

However, the court ruled that the case deserved an expedited hearing on the case, and this would open next week on August 28th.

DStv had hiked subs rates by about 7.5 per cent, effective on August 1st.

Categories: Articles, Pay TV, Policy, Regulation