FCCPC to Review Increase in Price of DStv, GOtv Packages

Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has promised to review recent price increases in MultiChoice cable subscriptions to ensure subscribers in Nigeria get value for their money.

The Acting CEO of FCCPC, Adamu Abdullahi, in a chat with Channels Television on its Dateline Abuja programme on Thursday, provided an update on the summons issued to the owner of a Chinese store in Abuja accused of discriminatory and sharp practices.

He also commented on the adherence to the order given to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, stating that sanctions are imminent for all verified infractions identified by the agency.

MultiChoice, a major satellite television service in Sub-Saharan Africa based in South Africa, recently announced fresh increases in prices on the DSTV and GOtv packages, saying the increase was necessitated by the rise In the cost of business operations.

According to the company, the increment would take effect on May 1, 2024.

With the latest price hike, the DStv Premium package was increased from N29,500 to N37,000 which is a 20.27% increase,  and DStv Compact+ went up from N19,800 to N25,000, which is a 20.8% increase, while the Compact package increased from N12,500 to N15,700 which is a 20.38% increase.

Comfam package was increased from N7,400 to N9,300 which is a 20.4% increase, as the Yanga package moved up from 4,200 to N5,100 which is a 17.6% increase, while the Padi package increased from N2,950 to N3,600 which is an 18.05% increase. HDPVR was increased from N4,000 to N5,000 which is a 20% increase, the Access Fees package from N4,000 to N5,000 which is a 20% increase, and XtraView moved from N4,000 to N5,000 which is also a 20% increase.

Meanwhile, the Gotv Supa+ package moved from N12,500 to N15,700 which is a 20.38% increase, the Supa package from N7,600 to N9,600 which is a 20.8% increase, and the Max package from N5,700 to N7,200 which is a 20.8% increase.

While the Jolli package was jacked up from N3,950 to N4,850 which is an 18.6% increase, the Jinja package moved from N2,700 to N3,300 which is an 18.2% increase and the Smallie package from N1,300 to N1,575 which is a 17.5% increase.

See full list of price changes below:

DStv Package	Old Price	New Price (monthly)
Premium	29,500	37,000
Compact Plus	19,800	25,000
Compact	12,500	15,700
Confam	7,400	9,300
Yanga	4,200	5,100
Padi	2,950	3,600
HDPVR Access Service	4,000	5,000
Access Fees	4,000	5,000
XtraView	4,000	5,000

GOtv Package	Old Price	New Price (monthly)
Supa+	12,500	15,700
Supa	7,600	9,600
Max	5,700	7,200
Jolli	3,950	4,850
Jinja	2,700	3,300
Smallie	1,300	1,575

Meanwhile, mixed reactions have continued to trail the hike in price.

Reacting on X, a Netizen, @JamesAgwu_E wrote “DStv’s recent price adjustment seems unjustified. With TSTV no longer a competitive option, it’s time to explore alternatives like IPTV. The monopoly DStv holds is detrimental to consumers especially their refusal to pay per view. We need more options for fair pricing and better services.”

Another Netizen, @Libero_ElKeke wrote, “I have apps that give me all BeIn channels, Sky, TNT. Sports and entertainment 24/7 DStv/GOtv or whatever they call themselves won’t get a dime from someone like me”, to which @JamesAgwu_E responded, “Abeg I go like know the app, bro, I think am done with this DStv.”

@Titbeats1 wrote, “Ever since I started streaming games live and broadcasting it on TV + Netflix. I stopped subscribing to DStv.”

@victoromondi144 simply said the prices were too high. He wrote, “Those prices are way too high.”

@NAIS_Igbo was of the opinion that the PayTv company keeps exploiting their customers because they have no competition. He wrote, “I believe the prices are high bcos of no serious competition. Take Airpeace and other foreign airlines as examples. Immediately airpeace came with a cheaper alternative, and other airlines dropped their prices.”

In his remarks, @_chika_oi said, “It’s disheartening to see DStv’s pricing shift without apparent justification. With limited alternatives, exploring IPTV sounds promising. Consumers deserve fair pricing and more choices for quality entertainment.”

@DONALDWHIT47270 blamed the incessant hike in price on the rot in the Nigerian system. “I don’t blame them I blame the rotten system of government we have”, he wrote.

@Debusy2024 said, “The worst of it is sometimes you hardly watch TV for a good one hour in a day due to light shortage and high cost of PMS yet they keep on increasing it 

April 28, 2024