The House of Representatives has instructed Multichoice, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to suspend its planned subscription increase due to the country’s ongoing economic challenges.
Multichoice had recently announced a price adjustment, effective March 1, raising DStv Premium from ₦37,000 to ₦44,500, Compact+ from ₦25,000 to ₦30,000, and Compact bouquet from ₦17,000 to ₦19,000.
The directive came after a motion by Esosa Iyawe, an APC lawmaker from Edo State, during Tuesday’s plenary.
Iyawe pointed out that this marks Multichoice’s second price hike in less than a year, with the last increase occurring in May 2024. He emphasized that the previous adjustment sparked public outrage, with many Nigerians struggling to keep up with rising costs and abandoning their decoders due to lack of competition in the pay-TV industry.
"Given Multichoice's dominance in the market, any price hike directly affects consumers, imposing further financial strain," he added.
Following deliberations, the House resolved that Multichoice must suspend the price hike until a thorough investigation is conducted.
Additionally, the Committee on Commerce has been directed to examine the recurring price increases and propose measures to ensure fair and affordable pricing for Nigerian consumers.
The committee is expected to submit its report within four weeks.
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