Tribunal Imposes N150m Fine on Multichoice, Mandates Free Subscriptions

iexclusivenews – In a significant ruling, the tribunal has imposed a hefty fine of N150 million on Multichoice and mandated free DStv and Gotv subscriptions.

This decision comes after the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) accused the Pay TV giant of unjustly increasing subscription fees without providing the mandatory one-month notice to customers.

The FCCPC leveraged this accusation to seek interim orders against Multichoice.

Multichoice’s Challenge and Tribunal’s Jurisdiction

Multichoice contested the tribunal’s jurisdiction, arguing that the authority to regulate prices lies with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

However, on Friday, the three-man panel chaired by Justice Thomas Okosu clarified that Section 39(2) of the FCCPC Act grants the tribunal jurisdiction across the federation and over all profit-oriented commercial activities.

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Tribunal’s Authority and Consumer Rights

Justice Okosu emphasized, “The jurisdiction of this tribunal extends to all business activities within Nigeria.”

He concluded that the tribunal has the authority to preside over consumer rights cases, as demonstrated in this instance, and ruled against Multichoice.

The tribunal further condemned Multichoice for disobeying its orders and criticized the company for unjustly hiking DStv and Gotv prices.

This landmark decision underscores the tribunal’s commitment to protecting consumer rights and ensuring fair business practices in Nigeria.