Nigerians, especially subscribers to MultiChoice’s Dstv and Gotv, have continued to express mixed feelings over the decision of the paytv company to readjust its subscription rates, in compliance with a recent court orders.

 

 

The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT), sitting in Abuja, had ordered the paytv company to revert to its old prices, pending the outcome of a full hearing on the matter.

 

 

But while some have commended the courts for calling the paytV platform to order, others have queried the tribunal for not having such powers to dictate to businesses how to fix the prices of their products and services.

 

 

For instance, in his reaction on his X (formerly Twitter) Handle, Ayodeji @ayooladayodeji, queried “Why would anybody bully an organization @DstvNig, a private oragnisation into reducing prices? After all, there are other options. If Dstv  is too expensive for you, seek alternatives – NTA, AIT, YouTube, Startimes etc. when the business begins to downsize, we cry”.

 

 

Another Nigerian, Kola Yusuf, said though the adjustments were to be reflected on the paytv, but argued that if eventually reflected, it would represent a huge disincentive to business.

 

 

“Are we now saying businesses no longer have the right to fix prices for their products? How come same government has not gone into markets where pepper, tomatoes and other edibles are being sold, to order the sellers to bring their prices down? I think  the impact of such action would have been more felt than what we are presently seeing now. Pay TV is elitist; very optional, and, as a result, it is not compulsory you subscribe if the price is beyond you”, he argued.

 

 

But, an X user, FADALO, @AlexOdene,  has a different opinion. Beyond the readjustments, Fadalo, would want the paytv company to make its billing system flexible by introducing  pay-per-view billing.

 

 

“For me, adjusting to old subscription prices is not it. They have to it on the basis of pay per view. Anything  short of this is not acceptable for me. Let them do it the same way they are billing South Africans. The exploitation must stop,” he added.

 

 

Speaking on the development, another subscriber, Clara, would rather describe the development as a confirmation of the old marketing axiom that the ‘consumer remains the king’.

 

 

“The company reversed  to the old subscription rates because  they now realise how key the Nigerian market is. They almost lost half of their subscribers. If only consumers know their powers,” she stated.

 

 

In obedience to a recent judgment by the Competition and Consumers Tribunal, MultiChoice, recently, announced a readjustment of its subscription rates for DStv and GOtv users in Nigeria.

 

 

Though the company vowed to challenge the order of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal’s ruling in Abuja after recording a decline in its subscriber base in Nigeria, leading to the loss of over a million subscribers, it has however reflected the readjustment on its company’s apps as at Sunday, June 16, 2024.

 

 

In the adjustments, DStv subscribers will now pay N29,500 instead of N37,000 for the Premium package, while Compact+ package subscribers can now pay N19,800 instead of the new price of N25,000.

 

 

The  readjustment will also see Compact Bouquet subscribers paying N12,500 previously being charged, instead of N15,700, while Confam package subscribers will pay the old price of N7,400, instead of N9,300 per month.

 

For the Yanga package subscribers, old rate of N4,200 will be paid against N5,100 placed as new rate; while Padi subscribers will pay the former price of N2,950 instead of the N3,600.