DStv and GOtv subscribers across Nigeria and other African countries have expressed frustration over reported subscription activation problems, with some customers saying they were unable to access paid packages despite successfully making payments.
The complaints emerged on Friday, coinciding with the return of the 2026/2027 English Premier League season and the resumption of other major European football competitions.
For many subscribers, the timing could hardly have been worse. Football fans who had renewed their packages ahead of the weekend fixtures said their payments were either not reflecting on their accounts or their decoders remained inactive several hours after payment.
In Nigeria, the disruption reportedly affected subscribers who had specifically renewed their DStv and GOtv packages in anticipation of the Premier League's return.
One subscriber, Emmanuel Akinsanya, told PM News that he missed the English Premier League match between Arsenal and Coventry after his DStv subscription failed to activate despite payment.
The reported problems quickly spilled onto social media, where frustrated customers tagged the pay-TV operator and demanded an urgent resolution.
An X user, Abuja Streets (@abujastreets), described the situation as particularly disappointing for subscribers who had renewed their packages solely because the Premier League was returning.
“Today that the EPL resumed, DSTV decided to move mad. Bruh! The number of people that renewed their subscriptions today just cos of the EPL are left stranded. This is utterly ridiculous,” the user wrote.
Another subscriber, Jessycar (@jessy_decoco), said she had been debited several hours earlier but was still unable to access her service.
“@DStvNg I made a payment over 3hours ago to renew my subscription. I have been debited but the payment is not reflecting on my dstv app and my decoder is not working. Kindly look into this ASAP,” she wrote.
Subscribers report E16 error
The complaints were not restricted to delayed activation.
Some customers said they were receiving error messages even after completing their payments.
Morgan Patrick (@morganpatrivk), who tagged both DStv and GOtv, reported that his subscription remained inactive more than an hour after payment.
“@GOtvNg @DStvNg what’s happening… over an hour now and my subscription is still not working. Showing error E16,” he wrote.
The reports created considerable frustration among football supporters, particularly those who had planned their weekend around the return of live Premier League action.
For subscribers who had already paid for their packages, the inability to access the service immediately meant missing matches they had specifically renewed to watch.
Complaints spread beyond Nigeria
The reported disruption was not confined to the Nigerian market, with subscribers in other African countries also taking to social media to complain about payment and activation difficulties.
In Ghana, Solomon Adusei Peprah (@Curtis_peprah) claimed that the DStv payment system was unavailable when he attempted to renew his subscription.
“@DStv_Ghana system is down. I can’t pay for my subscription,” he wrote.
A Kenyan subscriber, Ken Mwirigi (@mwirigy), said he had paid for his DStv package but was still unable to access the service.
He also complained that several customer-service channels were either unavailable or had failed to respond.
“@GOtvKenya_ paid my subscription, but package yet to be activated. *423# not going through, chat bot ignored, calls offline. Mwatakaje jamani? Nirudishieni pesa yangu niende nikawatch kwa club kama wanaume wengine 🙄,” he stated.
Football fans bear the frustration
The timing of the reported glitches has heightened the frustration among subscribers, coming as thousands of football fans across Africa renewed their subscriptions ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
For pay-TV customers, live football remains one of the major attractions of subscription packages, making uninterrupted access particularly important whenever a new season begins.
The reports also highlight the importance of prompt payment processing and subscription activation, especially during periods of peak demand.
Subscribers who paid before match time said they expected their services to be restored automatically, only to discover that their payments had not been reflected or their decoders remained inactive.
The resulting complaints have placed pressure on DStv and GOtv to address the reported technical difficulties and reassure customers whose accounts were affected.
At the time of filing this report, DStv and GOtv, operated by MultiChoice, had yet to issue a detailed public explanation for the reported activation delays.
For the affected subscribers, however, the immediate concern remains the same: having paid for access, they want their services restored without further delay and, for some football fans, compensation for matches missed as a result of the disruption.