|By Adejumo Adekunle-
-MultiChoice Slashes Prices by 50% After Legal Pressure from Consumer Watchdog
–FCCPC Drags CEO John Ugbe to Court Over Alleged Obstruction, Price Hike Probe
MultiChoice Nigeria, owners of popular pay-TV platforms DStv and GOtv, has slashed its subscription prices by 50 percent across all packages, following legal moves by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to prosecute the company’s CEO, John Ugbe, for allegedly obstructing investigations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Ugbe himself, the company announced the major price reduction, claiming it was in response to the growing financial strain on Nigerian households.
“This price slash is in response to the noticeable economic impact on the everyday lives of Nigerians. We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day,” the statement read.
The announcement came shortly after the FCCPC filed charges to arraign Ugbe and other top executives of MultiChoice Nigeria in court. The charges include obstruction of investigation, following months of back-and-forth between the regulator and the company over recent price hikes.
The development is part of a broader regulatory clampdown on MultiChoice, whose repeated increases in subscription prices had drawn heavy public backlash and legal scrutiny.
On May 8, 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit filed by MultiChoice Nigeria seeking to uphold the latest price increments for its DStv and GOtv services. The court ruled in favour of the FCCPC, reinforcing the agency’s stance that the price hikes were arbitrary and violated consumer protection standards.
MultiChoice has hiked its subscription rates three times in just 12 months — in April 2023, November 2023, and April 2024, with the latest adjustment taking effect on May 1, 2024.
The company has also taken a significant hit in its user base, losing 1.4 million subscribers between March 2023 and March 2025, a decline widely attributed to rising costs and increased competition from streaming platforms.
While the company insists the price drop is an act of goodwill towards consumers, many observers link the move directly to the ongoing pressure from FCCPC and recent legal setbacks.
