By Aliyu Galadima
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has formally instituted legal proceedings against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and its Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe, for violating regulatory directives, obstructing an ongoing inquiry on the increase in pricing.
The Company was also sued for engaging in conduct that violated the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act ,FCCPA, 2018.
MultiChoice Nigeria had been expressly directed by the FCCPC on February 27, 2025 to maintain its current pricing structure for DStv and GOtv pending the conclusion of an examination of its proposed price hike.
However, despite this directive, the company proceeded with its price increase on March 1, 2025, in clear defiance of the Commission’s directive.
Following this blatant disregard for regulatory oversight, the FCCPC has filed charges against MultiChoice Nigeria and John Ugbe at the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, on three counts of offences under the FCCPA 2018.
Specifically, the company was sued for willfully obstructing the Commission’s inquiry by implementing a price hike contrary to directives (Section 33(4)), impeding the ongoing investigation by ignoring instructions to suspend the hike (Section 110), and attempting to mislead the Commission by proceeding with the increase without objection (Section 159(2), punishable under Section 159(4)(a) and (b)).
The Commission said it viewed MultiChoice’s actions as a deliberate and calculated attempt to undermine regulatory authority, disrupt market fairness, and deny Nigerian consumers the protection afforded under the law.
The FCCPC said, “By disregarding the FCCPC’s directive and implementing the price hike before appearing before the Commission’s investigative hearing on March 6, 2025, MultiChoice has not only flouted regulatory processes but also demonstrated a pattern of conduct that undermines consumer rights and fair competition.
“In addition to these legal actions, the FCCPC is reviewing further enforcement measures, including sanctions, penalties, and regulatory interventions, to ensure compliance and accountability.
“The FCCPC is committed to protecting Nigerian consumers from exploitative business practices and ensuring that dominant players in any sector adhere to fair market principles and legal compliance”.
The charge reads, “That you, Multichoice Nigeria Limited and John Ugbe. on March 1, 2025 at the MultiChoate Nigeria head off in located at Plot 1381 Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did without sufficient cause refused to comply with a directive of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council from implementing proposed price hike pending the conclusion of ongoing investigations and duly committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33 (3) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protect Act, 2018
“That you, Multichoice Nigeria Limited and John Ugbe, on March I, 2025 at the MultiChoice Nigeria head office within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did impede the Commission’s ongoing investigation into Multichoice’s proposed price hike, which was implemented in defiance of the Commission’s directive to Multichoice, to refrain from implementing the proposed price hike, pending the conclusion of the Commission’s ongoing investigation, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 110 of the federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2015″.
