A Nigerian non-governmental organisation, Save the Consumers, has accused MultiChoice Nigeria of reducing prices for its DStv and Gotv services in South Africa while hiking the same in Nigeria.
MultiChoice and an agency of the Nigerian government, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, recently had a face-off that led to litigations following alleged indiscriminate price hike in Nigeria.
The recent confrontation from FCCPC followed a move by the South African company to impose a 21% price increase on its customers in Nigeria effective March 1, 2025.
Despite the directive by the FCCPC asking the company to halt the move pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation, the increase was effected as announced by the company.
Angered by the development, the customers’ right group in a statement issued on Sunday by its Executive Director, Dr. Aliyu Ilias lamented that the company allegedly “reduced prices by up to 38% and enhance value for its South African subscribers”.
According to the organization, in South Africa, MultiChoice “lowered fees on various products, added new channels, and introduced features that improve the user experience, while acknowledging the financial pressures faced by South African households”.
Lamenting the alleged double standard by MultiChoice, the organization declared that “lowering prices at home while increasing them in Nigeria, amounts to economic discrimination”, accusing the company of engaging in an exploitative approach toward the Nigerian market.
It called on the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to take decisive actions towards fostering genuine competition in the pay-TV sector in a bid to “dismantle MultiChoice’s stranglehold on the market”.
“We call on Nigerian consumers to explore alternative platforms and consider boycotting DStv and GOtv until MultiChoice demonstrates genuine respect for their rights.
“MultiChoice’s discriminatory pricing, rewarding South African subscribers with lower costs and better services while exploiting Nigerians, is a glaring example of unchecked corporate greed.
“Save the Consumers stands firmly with Nigerian subscribers in rejecting this injustice and calls on all stakeholders to hold MultiChoice accountable,” the statement added.
