MultiChoice, the African pay-TV operator, is again under pressure in Nigeria. Nigeria’s Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is set to arraign MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, along with its Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe, and other company executives, for obstructing its investigation and failing to adhere to lawful summons.Local news reports says that this action follows on from a ruling made by an Abuja Federal High Court on May 8th, which rejected MultiChoice Nigeria Limited’s request to validate its price increases for DStv and GOtv services in Nigeria.Justice James Omotosho set a date of May 8th 2026 after attorneys representing both sides presented and debated their written submissions regarding the case. The court had prohibited the Commission from taking “any administrative actions” against MultiChoice following an increase in the service fees of two of its offerings: DStv and GOtv.This court injunction was issued in response to a formal request from MultiChoice seeking the court’s intervention against anticipated penalties from the FCCPC due to the price hike of DStv and GOtv.The court had allowed a date extension and now MultiChoice contend that the central issue is “whether the defendant possesses the right to dictate the pricing at which the plaintiff provides its services to the public.” While recognising the Commission’s regulatory authority, the MultiChoice legal team maintain that the legislation establishing the FCCPC did not grant it the authority to regulate prices or prevent any entity, including the plaintiff, from raising its prices.
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