The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Wednesday instituted legal proceedings against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and its Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe.
The legal proceedings are on three counts of offenses:
- for violating regulatory directives,
- obstructing an ongoing inquiry,
- and engaging in conduct deemed violations of the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
FCCPC had previously directed MultiChoice Nigeria on February 27, 2025 to maintain its current pricing structure for DStv and GOtv pending the conclusion of an investigation of its proposed price hike.
Mr. Ondaje Ijagwu, the Director of Corporate Affairs, FCCPC said that despite this directive, the company went ahead with its price increase on March 1, 2025, in clear defiance of the Commission’s directive.
The corporate affairs stance on the recent price hike by Multichoice is one of concern and regulatory scrutiny.
The FCCPC views Multichoice’s actions as a deliberate attempt to undermine regulatory authority, disrupt market fairness, and deny Nigerian consumers protection under the law.
The FCCPC is also reviewing further enforcement measures, including:
- sanctions that the Commission may impose on Multichoice for violating regulatory directives and obstructing an ongoing inquiry,
- penalties which the commission may also impose on the company for its non-compliance with regulatory directives,
- and regulatory interventions, to ensure compliance and accountability from Multichoice.
The FCCPC’s actions demonstrate its commitment to protecting consumers from unjustified price hikes and ensuring that businesses operate within the bounds of regulatory guidelines.
The commission’s stance is clear that it will not tolerate disregard for regulatory oversight and will take decisive action to enforce compliance.
Diaspora Digital Media will keep you posted as the events of the legal proceedings unfold.
Stay tuned.