FCCPC withdraws criminal charges against MultiChoice executives

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has withdrawn the criminal charges filed against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and some of its top executives after both parties reached an amicable settlement.

At Tuesday’s proceedings before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, FCCPC’s counsel, Daniel Amadi, informed the court that the matter had been resolved out of court.

“The matter is for hearing, but we have filed a notice of withdrawal on August 16. Parties have settled, and we agree to withdraw this suit,” Amadi said.

Counsel to the defendants, Rolake Akingbola, did not oppose the withdrawal, following which Justice Omotosho struck out the case.

The arraignment had been scheduled for Tuesday following earlier allegations that MultiChoice and its officers violated provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018.

Those named in the withdrawn case included Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Chairman of MultiChoice Nigeria; John Ugbe, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer; Fhulufhelo Badugela, CEO of MultiChoice Africa Holdings; Retiel Tromp, Chief Financial Officer, Africa; and Keabetswe Modimoeng, Group Executive for Corporate Affairs. Others were Adebusola Bello, Fuad Ogunsanya, Gozie Onumonu (Head of Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations), and the company itself.

The seven-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/197/2025, accused MultiChoice of failing to honour a lawful summons issued by the FCCPC on February 25 and obstructing the commission’s investigation by refusing to provide requested documents—offences punishable under Sections 33(3) and 110 of the FCCPC Act, 2018.

The dispute stemmed from MultiChoice’s decision to increase subscription rates for its DStv and GOtv packages, despite an invitation from the FCCPC to justify the hike. The commission had raised concerns about potential anti-competitive practices and market dominance abuse within the pay-TV sector.

Earlier, Justice Omotosho had on May 8 dismissed a separate suit by MultiChoice seeking to restrain the FCCPC from taking administrative action against it.

The judge described that case as an abuse of court process since a similar matter filed by a lawyer, Festus Onifade, was already pending.

The FCCPC had in February directed MultiChoice’s CEO to appear for an investigative hearing and cautioned that failure to justify the price increase could attract regulatory sanctions.

With Tuesday’s development, the long-running regulatory face-off between the commission and the pay-TV operator appears to have been resolved amicably.