- Slams N150m Fine against Multichoice
By Abiola Olawale
A three-man panel of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) has granted an order compelling Multichoice Nigeria to give customers of the DStv and GOtv platforms one month of free subscription.
The tribunal also slammed a N150m fine on the media company.
The three-member panel, led by Justice Thomas Okosun, in its ruling on Friday, June 7, 2024, held that Multichoice failed to adhere to its ruling that barred it from increasing the prices of its DStv and GOtv packages.
The New Diplomat reports that Multichoice had announced new price adjustments on DStv and GOtv packages in a statement issued on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.
The tribunal had previously restrained Multichoice from increasing subscription fees without adequate notice, following a suit by Barrister Festus Onifade, who argued that the 8-day notice given by Multichoice for a price hike was insufficient.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Multichoice’s lawyer, Moyosore .J. Onibanjo (SAN), filed a preliminary objection, urging the court to decline jurisdiction on the suit, and strike it out because such a price dispute case had been decided before in favour of his client.
However, Justice Okosun, in his ruling on Friday, held that Section 39(2) of the FCCPC Act states that the tribunal shall have jurisdiction throughout the federation, and on all commercial activities aimed at making a profit.
“The jurisdiction of this tribunal extends to all business activities within Nigeria,” Okosun said.
The tribunal noted that Multichoice has already disobeyed its interim orders, adding that its action of hiking DSTV and GOTV prices is condemnable and must not be condoned by the tribunal.
The tribunal dismissed Multichoice’s preliminary objection for disobeying its interim orders, and an administrative penalty on Multichoice for failing to comply with an order of the tribunal.
