By GINIKA OKOYE

Save the Consumers, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has condemned the 21 per cent subscription price hike by MultiChoice Nigeria on its DStv and GOtv services in the country.

Dr Aliyu Ilias, the Executive Director of Save the Consumers, in a statement said the move was in contrast to the company?s decision to reduce prices by 38 per cent and enhance value for its South African subscribers during the same period.

Ilias said in Abuja on Sunday, that the action was not only insensitive and exploitative but also discriminatory coming less than one year after the company?s May 2024 price hike in Nigeria.

He, therefore, called for the immediate reversal of the price hike while compensation be paid to subscribers affected by repeated, unjustified price increases and service deficiencies.

He also called for full compliance with the directives of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) which had asked the company to halt any price increase.

?In South Africa, MultiChoice has lowered fees on various products, added new channels, and introduced features that improve the user experience, while acknowledging the financial pressures faced by South African households.

?This double standard, lowering prices at home while increasing them in Nigeria, amounts to economic discrimination and reinforces long-standing concerns about MultiChoice?s exploitative approach toward the Nigerian market.

?It is indefensible for MultiChoice to cite inflation in Nigeria as justification for the hike while offering consumer-friendly pricing in South Africa.

?This reflects a disturbing double standard, with Nigerian consumers continuing to suffer under a near-monopolistic market structure,? he said.

The executive director alleged that while MultiChoice claimed the price hike was necessary to deliver ?world-class content?, Nigerian subscribers still faced persistent challenges that remained unaddressed in spite repeated complaints.

He also alleged that South African subscribers benefitted from reduced pricing, such as the ?Add Movies? bolt-on slashed by 38 per cent to R49, alongside additional channels and enhanced streaming features.

Llias called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to take decisive steps to foster genuine competition in the pay-TV sector.

?We call on Nigerian consumers to explore alternative platforms and consider boycotting DStv and GOtv until MultiChoice demonstrates genuine respect for their rights.

?The Nigerian market deserves dignity, not exploitation, no company should be allowed to operate above the law or treat Nigerian consumers as second-class subscribers,? he said.

Meanwhile, MultiChoice Nigeria had in a notice, notified its customers of its new price adjustment which took effect from March 1.

The company said the move was to enable it continue to offer its customers world-class home-grown and international content delivered through the best technology.

MultiChoice Nigeria had cited inflation and the rising costs of operations in Nigeria for a similar subscription price increase effected in May 2024.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that DStv Premium subscribers now pay N44,500 instead of N37,000 monthly, while the Compact Plus pay N30,000 monthly . The DStv Compact bouquet increased from N15,700 to N19,000 monthly.

The new price for the Confam package is N1,000 monthly, while Yanga is pegged at N6,000 as against initial price of N5,000, DStv-Padi, now cost N4,400 monthly.

Meanwhile, GOtv customers, who formally paid N3,600 now pay N3,900 monthly, while subscribers of GOtv Plus now pay N5,800 instead of the initial N4,850 monthly.

NAN reports that the FCCPC had directed MultiChoice Nigeria to maintain its current subscription prices until an ongoing investigation into its proposed price adjustment was concluded.

The company, however, proceeded with the price adjustment which made the FCCPC to institute legal charges against it and its Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe, for allegedly defying regulatory directives on subscription price adjustments.

NAN reports that Save the Consumers is a consumer protection group committed to championing and defending consumer rights. (NAN)

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