Multichoice to pay N150m, give Nigerians one month free subscription for increasing prices without proper notice
The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja fined MultiChoice Nigeria Limited N150 million for disregarding its jurisdiction and violating its order. On Friday, June 7, a three-man panel led by Thomas Okusu issued the verdict.
The tribunal had previously prohibited MultiChoice from raising subscription fees without proper notice, following a lawsuit by Barrister Festus Onifade, who argued that the eight-day notice for the price increase was insufficient. Onifade accused DSTV of unfairly increasing subscription fees without providing a month’s notice to customers and sought interim orders.
The tribunal unanimously ordered MultiChoice to pay the fine and offer Nigerians one month of free DSTV and GOTV subscriptions. The tribunal set July 3 for the hearing of the substantive case against the company.
