Nigerian DStv subscribers are considered paying higher tariffs than any other country including South Africa, which is the home of MultiChoice. With the recent increment in DStv tariff this 2015, there have been more pressure calls by Nigerians for the Government to step in and curtail the alleged excesses of the digital satellite pay-tv giant which is undoubtedly enjoying monopoly of service in the country.
In what appeared to be a replication of events in Zambia, similar calls have prompted the Multinational Organization to explain why Nigerians, Zambians and DStv subscribers in other countries pay higher tariffs than their South African counterparts. According to the online Zambian Daily Mail, the General Manager of MultiChoice Zambia Simon Bota describes the DStv irregular tariffs in different countries of Africa as caused by different market situations obtainable from the three major markets in Africa.
He mentioned the three markets in Africa as Nigeria, South Africa and the general market. Zambia falls under the general market category. Mr. Bota explained that factors like taxation, law enforcement level and piracy as responsible for subscribers in a particular market paying higher DStv tariffs than others.
Nigerians and Zambians have been filing petitions ever since MultiChoice announced DStv tariff increase effective from April 1st 2015. Reacting to the public petitions yesterday, the MultiChoice Zambia General Manager debunked rumours that Zambians were paying the highest tariffs in all DStv markets combined.
He stressed that prices are fixed according to the prevailing situation in any market. The issues of taxation, law enforcement, piracy and others all contributed to the increased operational cost which consequently caused MultiChoice to adjust the market price of DStv services.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have continued to call on all regulatory authorities to wade into the DStv tariff issue as it is no longer consumer-friendly. Petitions have been in circulation through the electronic and print media, including the social platform which shows how widely Nigerians are condemning the tariff hike by MultiChoice on their DStv services.