The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) has mandated that Pay TV operator Multichoice Nigeria provide subscribers on its DStv and GOtv platforms with one month of free subscription.
The tribunal also imposed a N150 million fine on Multichoice for contesting the court’s jurisdiction after it had recently barred the company from increasing the prices of its subscription packages.
A three-man panel led by Justice Thomas Okosu delivered the rulings on Friday, June 7, 2024.
Recall, in April 2024, the CCPT sitting in Abuja, following an ex-parte motion moved by Ejiro Awaritoma, who served as the counsel for the applicant, Festus Onifade, had ordered Multichoice Nigeria to refrain from increasing its tariffs and costs of services that the company was set to begin on May 1, 2024.
The order, given by a three-member panel headed by Saratu Shafii, said, “The 1st defendant is hereby restrained from taking any step(s) that may negatively affect the rights of the claimant and other consumers in respect of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
Multichoice increased its service charge despite the court order, arguing that Onifade lacks the jurisdiction to regulate the prices of goods and services as he is not the President of Nigeria.
