MultiChoice Nigeria has been given seven days to rescind its decision to increase prices for DSTV and GOTV subscriptions, or face a boycott by the National Association of Nigerian Students (South-west Zone).
According to The PUNCH, this was contained in a press statement by the association signed by its Coordinator, Adejuwon Olatunji, Deputy Coordinator, Alao John, and Public Relations Officer, Opeoluwa Awoyinfa.
MultiChoice informed its customers via text messages that the cost of its DSTV and GOTV packages will be increasing by 17%. also specified that the new rates would go into effect on May 1, 2023, and also gave an explanation of why there had been an increase in expenditures for business operations.
NANS opposed the subscription increase, claiming that the South African corporation was exploiting and impoverishing Nigerians without taking into account their way of living.
The NANS statement remarked, “Today, we are aware that Multi Choice Digital Satellite has increased its tariffs without considering the standard of living of Nigerians. We have also waited for long to see if this same company will dance to the music of Nigerians who have been clamouring for ‘pay-as-you-view’ tariff, but the reverse is the case.
“This is the time to call on National Broadcasting Commission to go back to the Commission’s act to regulate the ownership, activities and operations of Direct Broadcast Satellite Service Providers. DSTV is one of the leading direct-to-home service providers in Nigeria since its inception of operation from as far back as 1995, and has also made a lot of profit with over 25 million subscribers which is the largest market for its operations.
“We want the Federal Government to stampede their proposed plan in tariffs increment and also force them to implement the pay-as-you-view system. We are aware that DSTV operates a system of pay-as-you-go tariffs in other countries,” NANS declared.
It stated that Nigeria accounts for more than 45 percent of the global DSTV market share and thus urged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd. ), and the Minister of Communication to “break the sporting right of MultiChoice” and provide an alternative service provider in the country so that “Nigerians can stop being exploited on a daily basis.”
Giving the ultimatum, NANS stressed, “We hereby give seven days ultimatum to MultiChoice Digital Satellite Television to reverse the plan of increasing the tariffs and also yield to the call of Nigerians by implementing pay-as-you-view tariffs, or else, we shall be left with no other option but to lock up all offices of DSTV until our demands are met which is the mind of all Nigerians.”
