May 17, 2024

Dstv, Gotv subscriptions: FCCPC keeps mum on MultiChoice’s price hike

Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), on Thursday, did not oppose the recent price hike on tariffs and cost of products and services by MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, the owners of Dstv and Gotv.

FCCPC made this known through its lawyer, Nikiomari Abeke, before the three-member panel of Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) sitting in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-member tribunal is chaired by Thomas Okosun.

The CCPT had, on April 29, restrained MultiChoice from increasing its tariffs on the Dstv and Gotv packages scheduled to take effect from May 1, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by Festus Onifade.

The tribunal, presided over by Saratu Shafii, gave the interim order following an ex-parte motion moved by Ejiro Awaritoma, counsel for the applicant, Onifade.

CCPT, thereafter, directed all parties in the suit to appear before it on Ma y7 at 10am for the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Onifade, in the suit marked: CCPT/OP/2/2024 and filed April 29, had dragged MultiChoice and FCCPC before the tribunal.

The claimant, also a legal practitioner, sought two orders, including an order of interim injunction restraining the Pay-Tv operator from going ahead with its impending price increase until the determination of the motion on notice.

But MultiChoice, through its lawyer, Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, filed a preliminary objection praying the court to decline jurisdiction in the suit.

Onigbanjo argued that such price dispute case had been decided before in favour of his client.

However, Onifade, in his response, urged the tribunal to discountenance the company’s objection and direct it to pay the sum of N10 billion or any amount the panel might deem fit in the circumstance for deliberately disobeying and failure to comply with the interim order.

When the case was called on Thursday, Onigbanjo tendered and adopted the previous judgement of the tribunal in suit no CCPT/OP/1/2022 as exhibit alongside his application.