Rates hike: Subscriber withdraws case against MultiChoice’s DStv

A Nigerian subscriber, Festus Onifade, has withdrawn a lawsuit challenging a price increase by MultiChoice Nigeria Ltd., operator of DStv and GOtv, ending a months-long legal dispute over consumer rights and tariff adjustments; court documents seen by The PUNCH on Thursday showed.

The long-time DStv subscriber and legal practitioner filed a notice of discontinuance at the Federal High Court in Abuja on April 7, withdrawing the suit against MultiChoice and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission; the papers showed.

“This suit is hereby wholly discontinued against the defendants,” the filing said, offering no explanation for the withdrawal.

The case, registered as FHC/ABJ/CS/363/2025, was initiated on February 27 following MultiChoice’s announcement on February 24 that it would raise subscription rates on its satellite TV services effective March 1.

In a letter signed by Chief Executive John Ugbe, the company cited “prevalent economic factors” and “increased operational costs” for the adjustment. Onifade’s Compact Plus package rose from N25,500 to N30,000 per month.

Onifade argued in his affidavit that the eight-day notice period violated Section 128 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, which requires companies to give consumers adequate notice to assess changes and make informed decisions.

“The eight-day’ window… is unjust, unfair, unreasonable, illegal, grossly inadequate and a breach of my consumer rights,” he wrote, citing MultiChoice’s dominant role in broadcasting Premier League and European football content in Nigeria.

The lawyer also referenced a pending appeal from a 2022 case involving an earlier price hike, in which a tribunal had ruled against MultiChoice.

The company appealed, arguing procedural flaws and a lack of jurisdiction. Onifade claimed the unresolved appeal barred further tariff adjustments.

In the February filing, Onifade sought multiple remedies, including a declaration that the notice period was unlawful, an order suspending the March 1 hike, and N22m in damages and legal costs.

Court rules gave the defendants until March 29 to respond, but no replies were documented, and the tariff hike proceeded as planned.

Onifade’s withdrawal, more than a month later, ends the proceedings without a court ruling.

The discontinuance, signed by Onifade and his colleagues Sa’adah Abdulmalik and Ahmad Usman Ahmad, was served to MultiChoice in Maitama, Abuja, and the FCCPC at its Asokoro office.

Neither party had commented publicly by Thursday.

The subscriber had written to MultiChoice on February 27 demanding a suspension of the hike and asked the FCCPC to investigate, warning that failure to act would force him to seek legal redress.

MultiChoice, a unit of South Africa’s MultiChoice Group, remains the dominant player in Nigeria’s pay-TV market, where pricing changes frequently spark public outcry amid falling purchasing power.