By JOSHUA OLOMU

Subscribers to pay TV services have berated MultiChoice Group for announcing that its Nigerian unit, MultiChoice Nigeria, lost 243,000 subscribers on its Digital Satellite Television (DStv) and GOtv services within six months.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the South African-owned pay-TV operator had, in its Interim Financial Results for the period ending Sept. 30 released on Tuesday, announced the loss of 243,000 subscribers on its DStv and GOtv.

NAN also reports that MultiChoice had attributed the decline to Nigeria’s high inflation rate, which has exceeded 30 per cent, resulting in rising costs of food, electricity and fuel, thus causing many customers to unsubscribe.

The company further reported a 566,000-subscriber loss in the Rest of Africa operations over the past six months, with Zambia and Nigeria contributing the largest shares.

The announcement had sparked reactions from Nigerians, especially DStv and GOtv subscribers, with many saying that the company was the cause of its woes.

Some of them, who joined the buzz on social media, said that they were no longer interested in subscribing to MultiChoice services because the prices were no longer affordable, considering current economic situation of the country.

@cashoggy: “They will still lose more subscribers. Internet and smart TV have rendered Dstv unattractive with their rate.

“Imagine paying 25,700 for a premium subscription when you can surf the internet and watch all the programs for less.”

Another Nigerian, @ gentle_t said: “Why we dey sub again when 2/4/7, many people are using their phones to watch what they want.”

@realbl posted: MultiChoice lost 243,000 subs because there is Multi-hunger in Nigeria. More so, there are now multiple choices replacing MultiChoice on our tablets when we need to watch soccer.”

@NdubuisiNC: “The downfall of this company in Nigeria will be televised and will be sweet to me.

“A company this big can’t improve on their content? Nigerians have cried for years about how boring it is, only football channels are what’s keeping most of us.”

@Jatiti_O wrote: “You people haven’t realized that people don’t watch TV anymore. They go out in the hot Sun to look for money.”

@ribaduabubakar2 said: “I subscribed to another platform and simply ignored them. They kept increasing the price as if someone would die without them. I am willing to give out my decoder and dish for free.”

@ekoh wrote: “Not only bad economy but also everyday increase in their monthly tariff. If they want to bounce back, they should cut their subscription price and make it a pay-as-you-go.”

NAN reports that this development is coming barely eight months after Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) ordered suspension of tariffs hike by MultiChoice Nigeria.

The company had earlier in a statement entitled: ‘Price Adjustment on DStv and GOtv Packages’ announced price hike on both packages.

However, after the intrigues of series of legal battles, Multichoice Nigeria brazenly hiked the subscription rates for its DStv and GOtv packages, effective from May 1. (NAN)