Court stops Multichoice from increasing subscription fees, Twitter reacts

chibumga izuzu

August 21, 2018 8:43 AM

This comes weeks after Multichoice increased the subscription rates for DSTV and reduced the prices for GOTV.

A Federal High Court in Abuja, has stopped MultiChoice Nigeria Limited from executing its recent increase in DStv subscription fees.

The order was issued on Monday, August 21, in reference to Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/894/18 presented before the court by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC).

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba granted an interim injunction stopping the entertainment company or its agents and representatives from continuing the implementation of any increase in subscription rates or price review policy imposing increased charges and costs on the consumers pending the determination of the motion on notice.

The court also restrained MultiChoice from any act that could interfere with the regulatory process of the CPC.

This new development comes weeks after the entertainment company announced an increase in the subscription fees of its digital satellite platform, DSTV.

The increase in DSTV subscription fees

According to the messages sent by the company to subscribers on July 9, subscribers on GOTV Max package are to pay 3,200 naira instead of the previous N3,800, while GOTV Plus, GOTV Value and GOTV Lite subscribers will pay 1,900 naira, 1,250 naira and 400 naira, respectively.

However, price for the DSTV Premium package was increased from N14,700 to N15,800; Compact Plus from N9,900 to N10,650; Compact from N6,300 to N6,800; Family from N3,800 to N4,000, and Access from N1,900 to N2,000.

How Nigerians are reacting to Court order

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This isn't the first time the entertainment company is being ordered by a Federal High Court to suspend increase in subscription fees.

In 2015, after Multichoice announced a 20 percent price increase in subscription fees with effect from April 1, 2015, two Lagos-based lawyers, Osasuyi Adebayo and Oluyinka Oyeniji, challenged the increment, leading to the order from court.

After Oyeniji accused Multichoice of disobeying the order, the counsel for MultiChoice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN) said the entertainment company did not obey the order because it was made after the new price had gone into effect.

“An injunction cannot be granted in respect of a completed act,” he said.

Multichoice is yet to officially comment on the latest order issued on August 20, 2018.

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