Multichoice Nigeria Fined ₦150 Million, Ordered to Provide One-Month Free Subscription

The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has imposed a hefty fine of ₦150 million on Multichoice Nigeria, the parent company of DSTV and GOTV, for contesting the court’s jurisdiction.

Additionally, the tribunal has mandated the company to grant a one-month free subscription to its Nigerian subscribers.

Led by Thomas Okusu, a three-man panel delivered the verdict on Friday following a legal battle initiated by Barrister Festus Onifade.

Onifade’s lawsuit challenged Multichoice’s abrupt subscription fee hike, citing insufficient notice given to customers, which he argued violated consumer rights.

Earlier, the tribunal had restrained Multichoice from implementing subscription fee increases without adequate prior notice, responding to Onifade’s claims. The barrister alleged that Multichoice’s eight-day notice period for the price hike was inadequate and unjust.

During proceedings, Multichoice’s legal team argued that previous rulings had resolved price regulation matters, attempting to dismiss the jurisdiction of the tribunal.

Conversely, Onifade emphasized the inadequacy of notice rather than the price hike itself, prompting the tribunal to affirm its jurisdiction and rule against Multichoice.

The court has scheduled July 3 for the hearing of the plaintiff’s substantive suit, indicating a continued legal battle between Onifade and Multichoice over consumer protection and pricing policies.