MultiChoice has been directed by the House of Representatives to suspend its subscription hike until investigations are carried out
The House of Representatives has directed MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, to suspend its recently announced increase in subscription prices, citing concerns over its impact on Nigerian consumers.
According to the statement by the company, the new price hike began from March 1, 2025.
The latest price review will increase the DStv Compact bouquet from N15,700 to N19,000, the Compact Plus to N30,000, and the Premium subscription to N44,500.
Similarly, GOtv customers, who initially paid N3,600, now pay N3,900, while the tariff on GOtv Plus rises from N4,850 to N5,800.
The resolution followed a motion of national importance by Rep. Esosa lyawe ( APC Edo), during Tuesday’s plenary.
Iyawe decried the proposed 20-25 percent hike, marking the second increase in less than a year. The lawmaker argued that the move would place additional financial strain on Nigerians already grappling with a tough economic climate.
“Multichoice, the owner of Pay TV options DStv and GOtv, recently announced an increase in the prices of all its packages in Nigeria, citing prevalent economic factors leading to increased operational costs as their reason for the proposed increase,”
He lamented that the increase in May 2024 sparked a public outrage and many Nigerians who were already dealing with rising costs of living were forced to ditch their decoders even as they lamented the lack of competition in the pay-TV sector;
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Iyawe expressed concerns over the quality of service, which subscribers say has not improved despite repeated hikes. He pointed out that MultiChoice’s actions have led to widespread consumer frustration, with many Nigerians taking to social media to demand government intervention.
Adopting the motion, it was referred to the House committee on information to investigate the arbitrary increase in subscription prices by Multichoice with a view to ensuring implementation of cost-effective policies in the pay-TV sector for consumers in Nigeria and report back within four (4) weeks for further legislative action.
STAR Check: Nigerians, particularly, constituents of Oredo federal constituency, can keep tabs on the legislative performance of Rep. Iyawe throughout the 10th House here
