The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has fined prominent Pay-TV operator, Multichoice Nigeria, owners of DSTV and GOTV, ₦150 million for disputing the court’s jurisdiction.
Additionally, the tribunal has ordered the company to provide Nigerians with a one-month free subscription. A three-man panel led by Thomas Okusu delivered the verdict on Friday.
The tribunal had previously barred Multichoice from increasing subscription fees without proper notice. This decision was based on a lawsuit filed by Barrister Festus Onifade, who argued that the eight-day notice given for the price increase was insufficient. Onifade accused DSTV of unjustly raising subscription fees without providing the required one-month notice to customers and sought interim orders to address the issue.
Multichoice’s counsel argued that previous rulings had settled price regulation issues, while Onifade focused on the inadequate notice rather than the price hike itself. This prompted the tribunal to affirm its jurisdiction and rule against Multichoice.
The court has scheduled a hearing for the plaintiff’s substantive suit on July 3.
