South African leading cable network, MultiChoice, is, once again in the eye of the storm as a result of its ceaseless hiking of DSTv and GOTv subscription rates, which has left many Nigerian subscribers groaning; PAUL OKAH reports.
The hope of many Nigerians to enjoy digital satellite TV services may be cut short as a result of the incessant price hikes by South African leading cable network, MultiChoice, which seems to have formed the habit of ceaselessly reviewing subscription rates for DStv and Gotv almost on a yearly basis.
The yearly review of subscription rates by the cable network company, which is now a force of habit, appears to have come to stay as even the federal government has not been able to curtail it.
While MultiChoice readily advance rise in operational costs as the major reason for hiking rates, it deliberately does not take into consideration the plight of the average Nigerian, who often battles to afford the nee rates in order to stay updated on happenings around the world or seek entertainment in movies, football matches, among others.
17% increase
On April 25, MultiChoice Nigeria announced an upward review of prices on its DStv and GOtv packages by 17 per cent.
In a confirmed text message sent to subscribers, the pay-tv firm said the new rates would take effect on May 1, 2023, adding that the price adjustment was due to the rising costs of business operations.
“Please note that from May 1, your monthly subscription (premium) will be N24, 500. To retain your old price of N21, 000 for up to 12 months ensure you are active by April 30,” the text message read.
The situation
With the hike by MultiChoice, the price on the Compact+ bouquet would move to N16, 600 from N14, 250 monthly. Subscribers on the Compact bouquet will now pay N10, 500 as against N9, 000; while those on Confam package are set to pay N6, 200 compared to the previous N5, 300. Also, viewers on DStv Yanga and Padi bouquets will pay N3, 500 and N2, 500 respectively, as against N2, 950 and N2, 150.
Meanwhile, subscribers on the GOtv Supa package will now pay N6, 400 as against N5, 500; with those on GOtv Max expected to pay N4, 850 as against N4, 150. More so, the GOtv Jolli package price will increase to N3,300 from N2, 800; while that of the GOtv Jinja and GOtv Lite will rise from N1,900 to N2, 250; and from N900 to N1,100, respectively.
Nigerians speak
Expectedly, the recent hike has not gone down well with Nigerians as subscribers have been groaning under poor economy, low income, epileptic power supply, among other factors.
Speaking with Blueprint Weekend, a civil servant in Abuja, Mr. Musa Bako, lamented that epileptic power supply has prevented his enjoying his subscription, adding that the latest increase in Gotv subscription was senseless.
He said: “I am one of those who keep wondering while the federal government has allowed MultiChoice to be operating with impunity by fleecing Nigerians using DStv and Gotv. The senseless upward review of subscription rate is senseless. I can’t count how many times MultiChoice has increased the price of its subscription because it happens frequently, without recourse to the growing poverty in Nigeria.
“I bought my Gotv in 2017 and I can tell you that I hardly enjoy the subscription. The reason is not farfetched as everyone living in Nigeria can attest to the epileptic power supply. I live in Nyanya and the power supply is not steady. As a civil servant, I hardly stay at home all day and whenever I stay, I can’t enjoy light for even up to five hours in day. After subscribing, I hardly view the TV for even up to two weeks or 200 hours before it expires.
“Therefore, the best thing the government should do is to bear down on MultiChoice to consider pay-as-you-view tariff for Nigerian subscribers, as obtainable in other countries. The exploitation is getting out of hand. We cannot continue paying for what we don’t use as fuelling our generator just to watch news on TV is also digging holes in our pockets as workers without increment in our salary and basic allowances.”
Also, speaking with this reporter in Gwarinpa, Abuja, a teacher, Mrs. Mary Okechukwu, said she is particularly affected by the recent hike as she stays home most of the time to watch TV with her children to catch up with programmes.
She said: “I am a secondary school teacher and I make use of news from TV to catch up with developments across the world and also to research. Even my children learn a lot when we watch TV together, especially the cartoon channels. Therefore, it is always discouraging to get notifications from DStv about price hike. I got notification from them just last week and it is not amusing to cough out extra 17 per cent to pay for subscription.
“The recent hike calls for action from the government because Nigerians are going through a lot. I also disagree that pay-as-you-view tariff is not possible. If it is possible in other countries, what is the reason for not implementing same in Nigeria, which is a very big market for MultiChoice? MTN said that per second billing wasn’t possible until Glo broke the monopoly in the telecommunication industry. Therefore, the federal government should look into breaking the monopoly; otherwise, Nigerians will continue to be worse off.”
Despite the rate increases, MultiChoice Nigeria also made a price lock offer to subscribers who may renew their subscriptions before their due dates. The offer, which is meant to cushion the effect of the price review, allows customers to pay the old rates for 12 months, if they pay monthly before the expiration of their subscriptions.
Understandably, Nigerians have been irked by the price review and have not hesitated to bare their minds on what they regard as exploitation by MultiChoice.
Expert’s view
Speaking with Blueprint Weekend, an ICT consultant in Abuja, Peter Adekunle, said while the pay per view clamour by Nigerians is understandable, it may not work in Nigeria as a result of many factors.
He said: “For you to understand the reason for the constant review of subscription rate by MultiChoice, you have to take into consideration the business climate in Nigeria, while also allowing reason to prevail over emotions. MultiChoice is an international conglomerate that requires renewable licence to operate, apart from paying tax to the federal government, paying hundreds of workers, buying diesel and other factors.
“Granted that pay-per-view is available in the US, Canada, UK and some parts of Europe, it is not as alluring as many ignorant Nigerians make it. For instance, in the aforementioned countries, if you have a cable or satellite subscription, you still must pay separately for an event to be broadcast via PPV. So, pay-per-view is not what many uninformed people assume it is. It is even more expensive than what is presently obtainable in Gotv and Dstv.
“Nevertheless, the government should encourage more investors in the Cable TV business. Duopoly is always better than monopoly, which is what DSTV is enjoying in Nigeria. Even the Startimes that is playing catch up is not much patronised by Nigerians, who will still go back to GOtv and DSTv after much complaint, so let’s always know whom to blame.”