By Ayomide Otitoju
A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit filed by MultiChoice Nigeria against the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over its intervention in the pay-TV provider’s March 2025 subscription rate hike.
Presiding Judge, Justice James Omotoso, ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction as a similar matter was already before another court. MultiChoice had sought relief after raising DStv and GOtv rates by up to 25%, citing inflation and operational costs.
While affirming FCCPC’s role in market oversight, Justice Omotoso clarified that the commission lacks authority to set or suspend prices without express presidential delegation through official gazette—none of which was presented in the case.
The court emphasized Nigeria’s free-market economy, noting that price determination is at the discretion of service providers, and consumers have the right to accept or decline offerings.
“The services provided by the plaintiff are not essential,” the judge noted. “Nigeria can do without them.”
A similar judgment was delivered in 2022 by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal, which found that MultiChoice had not abused its market position and reaffirmed that only the President may regulate prices in Nigeria.
