MultiChoice Nigeria, the company behind DStv and GOtv pay television services, has announced a 50 percent reduction in decoder prices amid mounting pressure from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
The price slash comes as the FCCPC prepares to arraign MultiChoice's Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe, in court over allegations of obstructing investigations and other charges.
In a statement released on Tuesday and signed by Ugbe, the company attributed the significant price reduction to "the noticeable economic impact on the everyday lives of Nigerians."
"We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day," the company added in the statement.
Legal Challenges and Consumer Protection
BenriNews reports that the price reduction coincides with FCCPC's move on Tuesday to file charges against Ugbe and other top directors of the firm over allegations of obstructing investigations.
The company recently suffered a legal setback when, on May 8, 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed MultiChoice Nigeria Limited's suit that sought to uphold its latest DStv and GOtv price increases. The ruling handed FCCPC a victory over MultiChoice regarding what was described as arbitrary price hikes of its subscription packages.
Subscriber Losses and Price Hikes
Beyond the regulatory pressure, MultiChoice Nigeria has been grappling with significant business challenges. The company reportedly lost 1.4 million subscribers between March 2023 and March 2025.
This subscriber exodus appears linked to MultiChoice's aggressive pricing strategy, which saw the company increase its DStv and GOtv bouquet prices three times within a 12-month period—first in April 2023, followed by another increase in November 2023, and a third announced in April 2024, which took effect on May 1.
The latest decoder price reduction may represent an attempt by the company to regain market share and address regulatory concerns simultaneously.
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