By; PETER NOSAKHARE, Kaduna
In a pronouncement African premium Pay-TV operator, Multichoice Group, is blaming Nigeria’s harsh economic condition as active DStv subscribers in the country have declined by 18.per cent, a situation that has got many Nigerians reeling with joy.
The company, in its financial result for the year ended March 31, 2024, stated that the decline in Nigeria affected its overall subscriber database leading to a nine per cent decline for the year.
It added that while the total subscription figure for Nigeria is not stated as it is lumped with other operating units outside South Africa tagged as ‘Rest of Africa’ (RoA), the 18% decline in Nigeria brought the RoA’s total active subscribers down by 13% to 8.1 million from 9.3 million in 2023.
“The group’s nine per cent decline in active subscribers was mainly due to a 13 per cent decline in the Rest of Africa business as mass-market customers in countries like Nigeria had to prioritise basic necessities over entertainment, while the South African business showed more resilience with a 5 per cent decline,” the company said in the report.
“The Nigerian economy and consumers faced persistent challenges through government policies. The removal of fuel subsidies, sharp currency depreciation with the official naira halving in value, inflation climbing to over 30 per cent, and higher emigration of the middle and upper class drove an 18 per cent decline in active subscribers,” it said.
But Nigerians on Social Media would not buy into the narrative as they believe the company regular increase in the prices of its bouquets led to the subscribers decline.
In 2023 alone, Multichoice had increased its DStv and GOtv bouquet prices three times.
In April this year, the company announced another increment which took effect on May 1 despite outcry from Nigerians and the order issued by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) restraining it from implementing the new prices based on a case filed by a Nigerian customer of the company.
Multichoice ignored the court order and implemented the new prices, prompting the Tribunal to slam a fine of 150 million Naira on the company, as well as ordering it to give Nigerian subscribers a one-month free subscription on DSTV and GOTV, an order Multichoice has refused to obey.
Users on X, seem to be happy with what the company is going through presently and are of the view the regulating body will come to the rescue of the Nigerian subscribers.
