Abuja, June 7, 2022 – The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has imposed N150 million fine on Multichoice Nigeria for disobeying its orders.
Multichoice is the owner of DSTV and GoTv services,
The tribunal imposed the fine on Friday on the resumption of the trial of the company.
The court said the company failed to abide by its orders to stop increasing its monthly subscription pending the determination of the suit brought before it.
The tribunal also ordered the company to provide its Nigerian customers with a one-month free subscription to its DStv and GOtv packages.
The tribunalhad ordered Multichoice not to increase its subscription fees without proper notice, following a lawsuit filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, Festus Onifade, who said the 8-day notice given for the price increase was inadequate.
Multichoice, however, said previous rulings had settled price regulation issues.
But Onifade insisted the length of notice was inadequate and more pressing than the price hike itself, prompting the tribunal to affirm its jurisdiction and ruling against Multichoice.
The court fixed July 3 for hearing of the substantive suit of the plaintiff.
