The House of Representatives has called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to initiate a dialogue with the Multichoice Group regarding the recent rise in DSTV and GOTV subscription fees. The call came after a deliberation on a motion presented by Umar Ajilo, advocating for the suspension of the tariff hike.
During the motion, the lawmaker highlighted the economic challenges faced by Nigerians and emphasized the inopportune timing of the tariff increment. He pointed out, “The prevailing economic hardship resulting from political and economic factors has made life unbearable for the common man, with far-reaching effects that are yet to be addressed.”
Of particular concern was the “exorbitant increase in DSTV/GOTV package tariffs from N24,500 to N29,500 and N16,600 to N19,800 for the Premium and Compact Plus packages, respectively, at this challenging period.”
However, the prayer of the motion was amended by Jonathan Gaza, who suggested that the government should engage in dialogue with Multichoice rather than enforce price reductions.
The House endorsed Gaza’s proposed amendment during the vote, as it aligns with the Speaker Tajudeen Abbas’s viewpoint. Speaker Abbas stressed the importance of respecting Nigeria’s free-market principles, asserting that it would be inappropriate to compel a private company to lower its prices.
Subsequently, the House adopted the motion and referred it to the Committee on Information to ensure compliance.
