The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has intervened, stopping MultiChoice Nigeria from increasing its subscription prices for now. The commission has instructed the company to maintain the current prices until its investigation is complete.

MultiChoice was initially scheduled to face the FCCPC on February 27, but they requested an extension, which was granted. The company must now appear before the commission on March 6 with all relevant documents and explanations.

The price hike, which was set to take effect on March 1, would have increased prices across DStv and GOtv packages. For instance, DStv Compact would have risen from ₦15,700 to ₦19,000, while DStv Premium would have increased from ₦37,000 to ₦44,500. GOtv customers would also have been affected, with the Supa Plus package going up to ₦16,800 from ₦15,700.

This isn’t the first time MultiChoice has increased prices, having done so twice in 2023 and again in May 2024. As a result, they lost 243,000 subscribers between April and September last year. The company blames inflation for the price hikes, citing increasing costs of electricity, fuel, and food.

For now, customers can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that prices won’t change until the FCCPC makes a final decision. The hearing is set for March 6, 2025, and it remains to be seen whether MultiChoice will be allowed to increase prices again or if the FCCPC will intervene to protect consumers.