The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has directed MultiChoice Nigeria, the operator of DStv and GOtv, to suspend its planned subscription price hike pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation into the company’s proposed tariff adjustment.

The directive, issued on Thursday in a statement signed by the FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, aims to protect consumers from potential exploitation during the regulatory review process.

The move follows MultiChoice’s request for an extension regarding its scheduled appearance before the regulator to address mounting concerns over its recurrent price increases.

MultiChoice Under Investigation

The FCCPC had initially summoned MultiChoice’s Chief Executive Officer to appear for an investigative hearing on February 27. However, after the company requested an extension, the hearing was rescheduled to March 6, 2025. The regulator has mandated the attendance of the CEO and relevant officers, as well as the submission of a comprehensive response regarding the proposed price adjustments.

“As part of this directive, MultiChoice is expressly instructed to maintain the existing price structure as of February 27, 2025, pending the commission’s review and final determination on the matter,” the FCCPC’s statement read.

Consumer Protection Concerns

The commission emphasized that the price freeze is a precautionary measure to safeguard consumers against arbitrary pricing adjustments while the inquiry is ongoing.

MultiChoice had previously informed subscribers of the impending price review, set to take effect on March 1, 2025, citing rising costs associated with delivering premium content.

According to the notice titled “Price Adjustments for DStv and GOtv Packages,” the company stated:

“Dear Customer, please note that effective March 1, 2025, there will be a price adjustment on all DStv packages. This is to enable us to continue offering our customers world-class homegrown and international content, delivered through the best technology.”

While the Compact Plus and Premium bouquets will remain at N30,000 and N44,500, respectively, the DStv Compact package is among the subscriptions expected to be affected by the increase.

The FCCPC has assured consumers that further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.