Satellite tv for pc tv firm Multichoice has denied stories circulating on-line that the corporate has lowered subscription costs for customers in Nigeria. Main Twitter accounts on X shared unconfirmed value discount bulletins yesterday, led by @Maritemise_AD.
“We solely lowered the costs of our set-top containers and increase the subscription costs. The DStv Zapper was lowered from N65,000 to N22,900, whereas the Zapper and Crockery Package had been lowered from N100,000 to N57,900. For GOtv, Pizza Field was lowered from N56,000 to N19,900 and all this got here into impact from June 1, 2024,” the supply mentioned.
MultiChoice Nigeria is in the course of a authorized battle following a ruling by the Competitors and Client Safety Tribunal (CCPT) that fined Multichoice Nigeria the whole sum of N150 million for difficult the jurisdiction of the courtroom and ordered the corporate to offer a free DStv for a month. and GOtv subscription for customers within the nation.
The sentence was handed down two weeks in the past by a three-judge courtroom, headed by Justice Thomas Okosu.
Recall that Multichoice introduced a value adjustment for DStv and GOtv packages on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
Following a lawsuit filed by Barrister Festus Onifade, the Court docket issued an interim keep order stopping MultiChoice from rising its subscription charges pending the listening to and dedication of a movement. Onifade sued Multi-Selection Nigeria Ltd and the Federal Competitors and Client Safety Fee for unfairly rising subscription charges with out giving clients a month’s discover.
Subsequently, Multichoice Nigeria challenged the jurisdiction of the Competitors and Client Safety Tribunal (CCPT) to stop it from rising the costs of its DStv and GOtv packages.
Multichoice’s lawyer, MJ Onibanjo (SAN), advised the CCPT via his utility on Tuesday that he ought to decline jurisdiction over the swimsuit filed by Festus Onifade as a result of the mentioned value dispute case had earlier been determined in favor of his consumer .
The lawyer additionally argued that the deliberate improve introduced by Multichoice on April 24, 2024 is an act accompli as a result of all its techniques have configured it that means.
On Might 1, Multichoice proceeded to regulate its costs upwards for DStv and GOtv subscribers by 25%, regardless of the courtroom ruling ordering the suspension of the motion. The corporate introduced that the brand new pricing regime would come into impact on Might 15.
For DStv Premium subscribers, the value has gone from N29,500 to N37,000. Moreover, the value of the Compact Plus has skyrocketed from 19,800 to 25,000. The Compact bouquet price has gone from N12,500 to fifteen,700, whereas Confam and Yanga subscribers will now pay N9,300 and N5,100 respectively from their earlier charges of N7,400 and N4,200.
Following the value improve, Barrister Onifade, in a contemporary movement, requested the Court docket to order Multi-choice Nigeria Restricted to pay the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (one billion naira solely) or any quantity deemed by the Court docket acceptable on this circumstance for “intentionally disobey, contravene and fail to adjust to the Provisional Order of this Honorable Court docket granted on April 29, 2024.”
In a session to determine on the movement, the Court docket famous that Multichoice has already disobeyed its interim orders and added that the value hike of DSTV and GOTV is condemnable and shouldn’t be tolerated. The courtroom dismissed Multichoice’s preliminary objection for disobeying its interim orders
Consequently, the Court docket imposed an administrative penalty on Multichoice for failing to adjust to a courtroom order: “The primary accused is hereby ordered to pay a tremendous of N150 million.“. He additionally added that the satellite tv for pc pay-TV firm ought to compensate customers with Web subscriptions: “Multichoice is hereby ordered to supply Nigerians one month of free subscription.”
