The Federal Government has revealed plans to end the monopoly enjoyed by cable television service providers, especially Digital Satellite Television, owned by MultiChoice, a South Africa-based company.

The plan is said to include ending exclusive rights to sporting events.

Only DStv currently broadcasts major football competitions in Nigeria, especially the English Premier League.

The government said it had amended Nigeria’s broadcasting code to prevent DStv and others from monopolising their channels and contents.

The House has been probing DStv for allegedly cheating its Nigerian subscribers by restricting them to prepaid plans and increasing its subscription rates on June 1, 2020, despite the economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on the people.

At the continuation of the investigative hearings organised by an ad hoc committee of the House on the matter in Abuja on Tuesday, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had dismissed claims by DStv that pay-per-view was not proper for the Nigerian market.

Mohammed noted that StarTimes, the cable arm of the Nigerian Television Authority, was already operating for some years.

In an audio recording obtained by our correspondent, Mohammed could be heard responding to questions from the lawmakers.

The minister said, “On the issue of increase in price for subscribers, with the onset of COVID-19, one of the first things we did in the ministry with the NBC (National Broadcasting Commission) was to provide succour to broadcasters.

“We suspended payment for the initial two months to all broadcasters so that they would be able to absorb the impact of COVID-19. Therefore, it will be unfair for those for whom we have suspended payment to also at the same time increase their own fees. And I’m sure that the DG of NBC will take up this matter.”

On the issue of monopoly, Mohammed stated that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had in 2019 set up a board of enquiry to look into the activities of broadcasting stations, to ascertain the potency of the broadcasting code and broadcasting act to curtail and regulate the industry against excesses.

He added, “We took that opportunity also to make right recommendations to Mr President, including the breaking of the monopoly of the various giant operators. It is to the credit of Mr President that he did approve those recommendations.”

Mohammed noted that some recommendations would require that the National Assembly amend the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Act.


The minister said, “You will notice, in recent weeks, a lot of attacks on the ministry as a result of these amendments. These amendments have actually struck at the heart of monopoly. These amendments are, for once, giving back to Nigerians their own industry.”

Earlier, Chairman of the committee, Mr Unyime Idem, asked Mohammed and the acting Director General of the NBC, Armstrong Idachaba, to order DStv to suspend its recent rates’ increment.

Mohammed immediately ordered the Idachaba to issue the notice.

Idem had stated that the minister and all stakeholders present should ensure and commence full implementation of its directives.

The House committee’s order included “a marching order to the service providers, particularly Multichoice’s DStv, to reverse the recent June 1, 2020 price hike and revert to the old price as this is not the best of times to increase the prices of services, no matter the reasons for such increase, taking into consideration the ravaging effect of COVID-19 on the economy of Nigerians.”

It added, “Come up with a robust strategy to break the monopoly and open up the industry for larger participation. PAYG regime for the digital TV broadcasting in Nigeria, with particular reference to DStv, GOtv, StarTimes and Kwese TV.

“Deregulation of content right by DTH (direct-to home), DTT (digital terrestrial television) and IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) operators. Encouraging local content participation through content sharing

.”

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Anti business Nigerian govt.

Dstv subs in Nigeria are the lowest in Africa.

So the only reason, they put the law was because of startimes a govt company.

They want to collect things for free without paying.

Socialist government, that is why this country will be forever poor.

Na now una know abi

"kai pant e too many many to pack o"..in zlatan ibile's voice.

Very welcome development
What they can't do in SA, they take us for granted and continue making so much money that they take back home.
Never knew Startines was owned by NTA, let's promote our own.
HITV came and we all switched, guess he could manage his success, and went off.
Not only them, mobile networks also, data is becoming so expensive

It seems its another renewal period again and they want to chop these guys money anyhow so the threats upandan.
Nigeria my kontri
...
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Useless nigerian government with their own personal agenda.
Leave dstv alone .they are doing well and we like it like that.
Their content and packaging is good.
Can fg offer something better

E be like say the matter sef don dey touch una.

Pikin wey don ready to cry na him you say you wan beat make e come dey fear?

Dem say dem go soon comot for Naija. Which one come be threaten again.?



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Nonsense. How many times are they gonna say this. If they want to take action, they should already and stop boring us with this repetitive gibberish.

Useless government with no vision.
Even if they can afford the licensing fee, they can't run any business.
And if the government decide to prop up a company of its crony, it will fail spectacularly.

A government that can't provide adequate security and electricity has no
business concerning itself with an entertainment company that most Nigerians don't even use.

The crooked politicians understand the average Nigerians psyche, they use emotionally-charged word such as "cheat" even though using DSTV multichoice is 100% voluntary. This is the kind of inconsistent policy that scares away real investors.

The government knows that their pseudo-socialist position will adhere themselves
to the minds of the populace who don't know any better.

Their real aim is to attract bribe or deflect from their obvious failures.

Criminals they are just waking up from their slumber

yinkus6750:
Very welcome development
What they can't do in SA, they take us for granted and continue making so much money that they take back home.
Never knew Startines [sic] was owned by NTA, let's promote our own.
HITV came and we all switched, guess he could manage his success, and went off.
Not only them, mobile networks also, data is becoming so expensive

I think the bolded is the reason why no sane Nigerian should patronise Startimes.

We have hearing this since 1985

yinkus6750:
Very welcome development
What they can't do in SA, they take us for granted and continue making so much money that they take back home.
Never knew Startines was owned by NTA, let's promote our own.
HITV came and we all switched, guess he could manage his success, and went off.
Not only them, mobile networks also, data is becoming so expensive

Startimes is chinese owned however Nigerian government has shares in it

But its a Chinese company

With which alternative? DSTV remains the best in Nigeria and west Africa as whole. They should think of ending Dangote monopoly first

DanseMacabre:


I think the bolded is the reason why no sane Nigerian should patronise Startimes.

NTA has 30% share, while the Chinese has 70% share and run by the chinese. To be honest apart from premier League is DSTV better than StarTimes?

yinkus6750:
Very welcome development
What they can't do in SA, they take us for granted and continue making so much money that they take back home.
Never knew Startines was owned by NTA, let's promote our own.
HITV came and we all switched, guess he could manage his success, and went off.
Not only them, mobile networks also, data is becoming so expensive

NTA has 30% share, the Chinese has 70% and StarTimes is run by the chinese.

I can't remember how many times we have heard of government planning to end DSTV's monopoly.

They either want to codedly pass a message to Multichoice to come play ball OR They just want to torment ordinary Nigerians with false hope.

Story, story, Storyyyyyyyyyy

sexylassie2:
Anti business Nigerian govt.

Dstv sub in Nigeria are the lowest in Africa.

So the only reason, they pur the law was because of startimes a govt company.

They want to collect things for free without paying.

Startimes is a Chinese coy.. ND well connected to the govt. Through corruption

austinauto:

NTA has 30% share, while the Chinese has 70% share and run by the chinese. To be honest apart from premier League is DSTV better than StarTimes?

Are you being serious right now bro

[s]

omenka:
Nonsense. How many times are they gonna say this. If they want to take action, they should already and stop boring us with this repetitive gibberish.

[/s]

This is not the first time we are hearing this and honestly we don't care. I'm sure nothing will be done by the time the DSTV drop some millions. To put an end to this monopoly, I believe we the subscribers have a lot to do. We could stop subscribing for a month to protest our displeasure to this endless increase in tariff. DSTV is so useless that even during the lockdown when service provider like MTN are giving 10 free SMS per day, DSTV can't even leave the basic Nigerian station like Channel and TVC when subscription expires. I believe we the subscribers are the only one who can break their monopoly and bend them to stop taken us for a ride. If we wait for the government that song will change when they are bribed, then we are in for long thing

DanseMacabre:



Are you being serious right now bro

Please tell me what is the difference between them apart from premier League/champions league? Thanks

austinauto:

NTA has 30% share, while the Chinese has 70% share and run by the chinese. To be honest apart from premier League is DSTV better than StarTimes?

the only thing that makes people watch dstv is premier league

austinauto:

Please tell me what is the difference between them apart from premier League/champions league? Thanks

nothing

sexylassie2:
Anti business Nigerian govt.
Dstv sub in Nigeria are the lowest in Africa.
So the only reason, they pur the law was because of startimes a govt company.
They want to collect things for free without paying.

why did you get your stats from?

"To Government"

To do this, to do that

When the Bleep will you start?

Nice move by the FG.

g

Jokers! DsTv already 10 steps ahead of this dumb government. That's why they won't be renewing exclusive rights for EPL, Champions League etc. So they will just about break even at worst, and at best, they will still out perform all the competition. How many years down this line and NTA upon all the govt money and backing, is still a useless station and network that nobody wants to watch.¯\_(ツ)_/¯