Group Advocates Boycot Of DSTV/GOTV Over Price Hike

Oluwakemi Kindness

The Nigerian consumers have been urged to explore alternative platforms and consider boycotting DStv and GOtv until MultiChoice demonstrates genuine respect for their rights.

This follows the recent 21% price increase imposed by MultiChoice Nigeria on its DStv and GOtv services, effective March 1, 2025.

This is according to Save the Consumers, a non-governmental which is also asking the Federal Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC to initiate legal proceedings against MultiChoice for its defiance of regulatory orders and its disregard for consumer welfare.

It says a transparent investigation into its pricing model, service quality, and compliance with Nigerian competition and consumer protection laws is essential.

A statement by the Executive Director, Save the Consumers, Dr. Aliyu Ilias, laments that 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.

He adds that Save the Consumers stands firmly with Nigerian subscribers in rejecting this injustice and calls on all stakeholders to hold MultiChoice accountable.

“This action is not only insensitive and exploitative, but also blatantly discriminatory.”

“Coming less than a year after the May 2024 price hike in Nigeria, the new increase openly defies a directive from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to suspend all price adjustments pending the conclusion of ongoing investigations. It reflects MultiChoice’s clear disregard for both Nigerian consumers and regulatory authority, the statement adds”.

Dr. Ilias “says this double standard, lowering prices at home while increasing them in Nigeria, amounts to economic discrimination and reinforces long-standing concerns about MultiChoice’s exploitative approach toward the Nigerian market”.

Meanwhile, the group is also asking the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to take decisive steps to foster genuine competition in the pay-TV sector and dismantle MultiChoice’s stranglehold on the market.

Save the Consumers further demands the immediate reversal of the March 2025 price hike, compensation for subscribers affected by repeated, unjustified price increases and service deficiencies, and full compliance with the FCCPC’s directive.