Not to over-flog this matter but how the Nigerian court treats MultiChoice provides a window into how other foreign companies would expect to be treated. The fact is that MultIChoice, the owner of DStv and GOtv, may even go under, without the help of the court. Simply, you do not need to go to court to bring MultiChoice down as the economic paralysis in Nigeria is enough “court”.
Yes, the company is technically insolvent which means it has no real economic value, i.e, the company’s liabilities are greater than its assets, resulting in a negative net worth. If that continues for a few more quarters, it may not even have funds to pay for those football rights in Europe:
“MultiChoice, Africa’s leading entertainment company, has reported a significant financial downturn for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. The company recorded a staggering loss of approximately $222 million, marking the worst financial performance in its history. This downturn has rendered the company technically insolvent, raising concerns about its future viability.”
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And for MultiChoice, this is a lesson. If Nigeria is this important, you may show empathy as you modulate on prices. Largely, because Nigeria is bleeding, all the playbooks have crashed. That said, this “data suggests that DStv prices in Nigeria are comparatively lower than in many other African countries. This raises questions about the justification for the recent price hike and the tribunal’s intervention. While Nigerian subscribers feel the pinch of the price increase, the comparative analysis shows that they are still paying less for DStv services compared to many of their African counterparts.”
Let’s take a look at DStv prices in selected African markets in US dollars:
| Package | Nigeria | Sierra Leone | Ghana | Liberia | Benin | Ivory Coast | Senegal | South Africa | Eswatini | Kenya | Uganda | Zambia |
| Premium | 27.41 | 52.17 | 47.92 | 54.55 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 49.4 | 51.86 | 78.0 | 76.93 | 53.97 |
| Compact Plus | 18.52 | 30.43 | 31.71 | 31.82 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 33.0 | 34.75 | 48.0 | 45.10 | 34.97 |
| Compact | 11.63 | 19.13 | 21.14 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25.0 | 26.20 | 27.0 | 29.18 | 23.19 |
| Confam | 6.89 | 0 | 10.57 | 11.82 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17.5 | 0.00 | 14.9 | 18.30 | 15.58 |
| Yanga | 3.78 | 11.3 | 5.64 | 6.36 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 7.4 | 18.71 | 9.7 | 11.94 | 8.36 |
| Padi | 2.67 | 6.09 | 3.17 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 1.5 | 8.29 | 5.2 | 4.24 | 5.32 |
All prices are in USD. Source: DStv website.
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Businesses don’t just aim for profits, they also create jobs. Most times, it’s only big businesses that create good paying jobs that allow the working class to have disposable incomes. It is not from those who earn meagre wages that you expect to have disposable income, so as big businesses continue to struggle and close shops, expect multidimensional poverty to scale.
For you to remain in business, you must set price points that enable you to keep delivering those products and services. It is not just about what the consumers would want to pay, but what is practicable for a business to remain a going concern; anything else is mere expression of emotions.
If Multichoice finally becomes insolvent and departs, don’t expect any wannabe replacement to have it easier, the same demons will still bug it down and ensure it stops breathing. It is neither Multichoice nor any of the multinationals that eroded people’s purchasing power, so if we don’t address the fundamentals, expect more miseries.
As more good paying jobs keep disappearing, you all can keep blaming service providers as much as you want, but that won’t make your bad situation better. Maybe nobody needs to pay for entertainment…
To be frank am surprise and impress at the price difference. Never knew we had it this cheap. But I think multi TV is selling a product with great alternatives. The increase in Internet Access and Smart Devices has changed the market. I understand DSTV is trying to explore that market with Showcase but can they beat the existing market forces? Seems they read the market wrong and started late. It’s now a case of Business Intelligence- changing smartly with your clients. Don’t try to control the market but change with it.
The cry for pay-per-view or pay-per-channel has being long ignored. Let me put it in practical terms. How many DSTV decoders will I need in a hotel of 20 rooms if I want to give my guest some flexibility . With goo internet I can provide other alternatives as well as internet service for each Guest. Most of them just stream Netflix / Prime video . While many don’t border. So why subscribe for a product 80% of the time it’s not in use.
If DSTV should give Nigeria clients pay-per-view as it is in most African countries they operate, no one will grudge them if the price of subscriptions is at par with other countries. The issue here is forcing people to pay for products they do not watch three quarters of a full day…it’s robbery.
I will advise in this digital age, Dstv should be program in such a way that you can select the channels you want to watch a pay for them. Like if I want to pay for just sports channels, if they are four or three, I don’t need all those junks channels attached to whatever package you call it. Each channel should have a price not package, so one can choose even if it is five channels and pay for it and enjoy it for a month.
God bless you Amos, that was my thinking too
Multichoice via Dstv and Gotv should go to blazes with their hellish subscriptions. Their content is old and always on repeat mode. If not for the sport channels and Africa movie channels that our ladies watch, Dstv lacks creative content. More losses for them cos a lot of Nigerians including myself have stop our subscriptions after the last increament. Their monopolistic tendencies is the cos of their downfall.
The problem they not consent about the confusion ? they is no trust and loyalty to they customers even though there canels are repeating the same things to use to be loyal but price rate u know what many companies miss the cheaper option or the product is it they are more customers u get than a company that only look at at profit with no customer rather have 5billon customers paying less than 5billon customers crying were are u making ur money there 1 billion or 5billon lol u don’t think but business development u are thinking about profit that cost u
Interesting to learn that Nigeria is paying half the subscription that we pay in zambia for each bouquet. I guess the prices have to do with the population size and subsequent number of subscribers as the content is paid for by multichoice beforehand.
It is wrong to say Nigeria is paying less. But for the recent devaluation of the Naira, we won’t bring this conversation up.
So, it’s our currency that has lost her value. At N650 per USD, we would be amongst the highest paying.
Also with our population, we have no business paying what we are currently being charged.
Gbenga
I don’t want to hear anything about multi choice and DSTV anymore. They are Oliver Twist in nature. Star Time should act quickly and overtake them.
I will advise in this digital age, Dstv should be program in such a way that you can select the channels you want to watch a pay for them. Like if I want to pay for just sports channels, if they are four or three, I don’t need all those junks channels attached to whatever package you call it. Each channel should have a price not package, so one can choose even if it is five channels and pay for it and enjoy it for a month.
When you say paying less, I want to put that against these factors:
– paying less in $ (at what exchange rate? Maybe when converted, it’d not be less afterall)
– any amount at all that I’m paying to watch programmes that are 20+ years old, I consider too high for the value (or non-value) I’m getting
– finally, in comparison to the said African countries, which of then pay flat monthly subscription as is the case eith Nigeria. The average Nigerian household only has a full day to tv time at weekend (when there’s no wedding, owambe or funeral to attend). Cumulative, they my not even be accessing up to 2 weeks of viewing time in the one month package imposed in Nigeria. What alot of people do not realise is that sometimes, dstv even takes away some of the least watched channels on your bouquet without your knowledge.
On a final note, for Nigeria”s population and the volume of market share that brings, it’s not out of place if indeed out tariff was lower (which I doubt very much). Dstv has overplayed its hand on the monopoly/ capitalist game and must necessarily face the attendant implications.