The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal on Friday fined Multichoice Nigeria, the owners of DStv and GOtv services, N150 million for disobeying its orders to halt a subscription fee increase.
The tribunal had previously restrained the pay-TV company from raising its monthly subscription rates pending the resolution of a lawsuit brought before it.
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In addition to the fine, the tribunal ordered Multichoice to provide its Nigerian customers with a one-month free subscription to its DStv and GOtv packages.
The tribunal had earlier mandated that Multichoice must not increase its subscription fees without adequate notice. This directive followed a lawsuit filed by Abuja-based lawyer Festus Onifade, who argued that the 8-day notice given by Multichoice for the price increase was insufficient.
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Multichoice countered that previous rulings had already addressed the issue of price regulation. However, Onifade maintained that the inadequate notice period was a more significant concern than the price hike itself, leading the tribunal to affirm its jurisdiction and rule against Multichoice.
The court has scheduled July 3 for the hearing of the substantive suit brought by Onifade.
Further details will be provided as the case develops.