A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled May 8 for its ruling in the legal standoff between MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
The dispute revolves around regulatory oversight and pricing control following MultiChoice’s decision to increase subscription fees for its DStv and GOtv services.
Presiding over the case, Justice James Omotosho set the judgment date after both parties presented their final arguments. Earlier, the court had issued an interim directive preventing the FCCPC from imposing regulatory sanctions on MultiChoice over the price adjustment.
At the hearing, MultiChoice, through its legal representative, Onigbanjo (SAN), contended that the FCCPC lacks the authority to dictate service pricing. He argued that previous rulings had affirmed that price regulation falls exclusively under the President’s jurisdiction, and even then, the current administration supports a free-market economy rather than price control. The company also accused the Commission of unfair regulatory practices, claiming that other businesses had adjusted prices without facing similar scrutiny.
The FCCPC, represented by Professor Joe Agbugu (SAN), refuted these claims, asserting that the case was not about controlling prices but about investigating possible exploitation of consumers. He stated that the Commission had engaged MultiChoice in discussions regarding the price increase and merely sought to assess whether the hike was excessive.
Agbugu further argued that as a dominant player in the pay-TV market, MultiChoice’s pricing decisions warranted regulatory oversight to prevent abuse of market power.
He urged the court to dismiss the suit, emphasising that the Commission’s role is to ensure consumer protection against unfair pricing practices.
After listening to both sides, Justice Omotosho announced that the court’s ruling would be delivered on May 8.
