By Kolawole Ojebisi
Nigerians have started airing their views on the announcement by Multichoice Group that it has lost a considerable number of its customers in a space of six months.
The African pay-TV operator noted that its Nigerian subsidiary lost 243,000 subscribers across its DStv and GOtv services between April and September 2024.
This was revealed in its financial report for the year ended September 30, 2024, published on Tuesday, .
Highlighting what likely caused its customers to ditch their decoders, the company cited the high cost of food, electricity, and petrol in the country adding that these factors have contributed largely to the high cost of living in the country.
The company said Nigeria and Zambia recorded the largest share of subscriber loss.
“The group’s linear subscriber base declined by 11% or 1.8m subscribers YoY to 14.9m active subscribers at 30 September 2024,” MultiChoice said.
“The loss in the Rest of Africa has been primarily due to the significant consumer pressure in Nigeria, where inflation has remained above 30% for the majority of the last 12 months and, more recently, due to extreme power disruptions in Zambia.
“Of this decline, 298k related to Zambia and 243k related to Nigeria, with remaining markets on the continent reflecting only a minor decline of 25k.,” the company added.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have taken to social media to react to Multichoice’s loss of customers in the face of untold hardship in the country.
Omowunmi Margaret Falola, wrote, “I expected they could order for their decoder since I’m ready to dash them”
“This is the best time for entrepreneurs to move into that business and bring PPV(PAY-PER-VIEW). We shall get there, Nigeria population is an added advantage for any serious investor. — Mudsshiru Mohammed Lawal’
“iPhone and Android phones has automatically replaced Dstv and Gotv” Samuel Gbamila wrote.
Malik Shabbazz expressed his thoughts in Pidgin English, “Me wey de plan to sell my decoder and dish ? Them never see anything”
“Lol, that is true sha, they better reconsider the masses and reduce their subscription price before it will be too late” — Akinduyite Olanrewaju Joshua.
