Tribunal grants application to stop MultiChoice tariff hike

A Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) sitting in Abuja has granted an application for substituted service of the interim order restraining MultiChoice Nigeria Limited from its plan to increase tariff on DStv and Gotv packages beginning from May 1, 2024.

The three-member tribunal presided over by Saratu Shafii, granted the applicant’s motion following allegations that officers of MultiChoice in Abuja refused to receive service of the order and other court documents.

The applicant, Festus Onifade, disclosed on Wednesday that the tribunal bailiff alleged that one of the company’s top managers at the Abuja office said the documents be channelled through their Lagos office, which is the headquarters.

The tribunal, therefore, gave the order of substituted service pursuant to Section 48 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), 2018; and Part N, Order 14 Rule 11(1) of the CCPT Rule, 2021.

In the certified true copy of the order of substituted service, Shaffi directed that the ex-parte order in suit number: CCPT/OP/2/2024, be pasted at the corporate headquarters or any known address of the branches of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited across Nigeria.

Tribunal stops MultiChoice from increasing DStv, Gotv subscription prices

She also ordered that the documents be sent to the company’s “known email address, social media handles and any means of communication publicly known for Multi-Choice and shall also be pasted in the CCPT communication outlet.

The documents have since been pasted at the MultiChoice Abuja office located at Wuse II.

The tribunal had, on Monday, April 29, stopped MultiChoice from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services scheduled to begin today.

The panel, who gave the order following an ex-parte motion moved by the counsel for the applicant, Ejiro Awaritoma, restrained the firm from going ahead with impending price increase pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed before it.

Onifade had dragged MultiChoice and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) before the tribunal.

MultiChoice recently announced a price increment on its DStv and GOtv packages effective May 1.

The pay-TV company said the price hike was due to the cost of business operations in Nigeria.

The company had, on April 1, 2022, hike the prices of all its packages despite public outcry.

The Star