The Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and the Nigerian Communications Commission to direct all pay-tv providers to introduce a pay-per-view model of subscription as against the month to month prepaid model presently in place
The upper Chamber also Directs all pay-tv service providers in Nigeria to immediately review their bouquet prices downwards to be in tandem with the prevailing reality of the economic situation in the country.
The lawmakers’ resolutions followed a motion by Senator Moro, Patrick Abba (Benue South) titled Nigerians dumbfounded, outraged over Pay-Tv Tariff Hikes, demand for Pay-Per-View subscription model.
In his presentation senator Abba Moro laments that the leading pay-tv service provider in Nigeria, (MultiChoice Nigeria) willfully and perpetually increases the cost of its bundles without recourse to the economic situation of the country
He added that the country does not have laws regulating this area of fixing rates, which DSTV has leveraged on to further raise its cost of bundles
compact subscribers 13.3% price increase to N7, 900 up from N6, 975 which commenced from September 1, 2020, subscription fee for DStv compact plus increased by 9.8% from N10, 925 to N12, 000, and DStv premium was increased from N16, 200 to N18, 400 indicating a 13.6% hike, DStv Premium (#21,000)
For GOTV Subscribers …Compact+ (#14,250), Compact (#9, 000), Confam (#5, 300), Yanga (#2, 950), Padi (#2, 150), Business (#2, 669), Xtraview+ PVR access fee (2, 900).
GOtv Max (4,150), GOtv Jolli (#2, 6669), GOtv Jinja (#1, 900), GOtv Lite (#900)
The Benue Lawmaker called for a more flexible model plan of subscription which allows subscribers of pay-tv to pay-per watch, to avoid paying for services which they do not consume as it is in the case with electricity metering and mobile telephony
Also Read: Senate re-amends proceeds of crime Bill
Senator Abba Moro says among the bitter complaints of Nigerian subscribers of pay-tv services is the epileptic electricity supply, which sometimes makes a whole month subscription wasteful without the subscriber watching anything before the expiration
The Senate also resolved to set up an adhoc committe to carry out full scale investigation on the matter
(Editor Paul Akhagbemhe)
