From 1st April, users of MultiChoice DStv will start paying higher subscription tariffs irrespective of the bouquet they are subscribed to. I received this news with mixed feelings considering the fact that already, a larger percentage of DStv subscribers were complaining of high cost of subscribing and maintaining their DStv system. It is sad that despite high patronage recorded across Nigeria and Africa in general, MultiChoice is still in the game of increasing DStv subscription tariffs, blaming the development on increasing operational cost.
Let us recall that barely 2 years ago, MultiChoice announced increment in bouquet prices cutting across the Premium and Compact Plus bouquets. They too, blamed operational cost. These tariffs were raised from 11,000 NGN to 11,650 NGN for Premium and 7,500 NGN to 7,850 NGN for Compact Plus while the Compact, Family and Access Bouquets were unaltered. A 10% discount offer was offered for subscribers at all levels who would renew before their existing active accounts were due. Unfortunately, the 10% discount offer lasted only but few months before the newly increased tariffs fully came on board.
The information as circulated recently by MultiChoice to all active subscribers has it that as from April 1st Access package would change from 1,500 NGN to 1,800 NGN, DStv Family package goes from 3,000 NGN to 3,600 NGN… while Compact bouquet moves from 5,000 NGN to 6,000 NGN. Compact Plus bouquet and Premium package would change from 7,850 NGN to 9,420 NGN and 11,650 NGN to 13,980 NGN respectively. There are other continental bouquets like the Asian (Indian), German, French and Portuguese packages which I have not been able to confirm their tariff changes as at time of this publication.
Most people including you might wonder why MultiChoice adopts operational cost as reason for most of their DStv subscription tariff increment. I understand that truly, the technology employed by MultiChoice to bring the DStv digital satellite TV signals to our homes have been unprecedented in Nigeria and even Africa. It is evident in the fact that till date, MultiChoice DStv still enjoys monopoly of service in this region. Maybe this is why they could allegedly afford to increase their service tariffs without minding whose Ox is gored.
I also heard as it was alleged that certain Nigerians had called for efforts to increase competition in the digital satellite pay-TV service industry and consequently break the monopoly of MultiChoice DStv but all such efforts died a natural death at certain stages of enforcement. I believe there must be better ways of cushioning the effects of MultiChoice’s operational cost than pushing it down to subscribers to feel the full weight. What has happened to MultiChoice’s Social Responsibility to the country offering it the largest market in Africa?
I think it is time MultiChoice had a rethink on its operational trajectory in Nigeria. Even though it enjoys the biggest patronage in Nigeria, it is still relatively a virgin country for such hi-tech businesses as the MultiChoice super digital satellite pay-TV service technology. Increasing DStv subscription tariff due to operational cost is undoubtedly the wrong way to go for MultiChoice Nigeria. It does not guarantee any better future for them as millions of Nigerians are already uncomfortable and threatening to join other substitute but lower quality pay-TV services existing in the country.
Nigerians are undoubtedly enjoying the DStv services as offered by MultiChoice but making it every day less affordable through tariff increment could be counter-productive. It takes money to make money. MultiChoice enjoys huge patronage and consequently huge profit yearly in Nigeria alone. There is need for the rechanneling of their profit allocation towards off-setting operational cost in order to let subscribers heave some sigh of relieve from paying through their noses. Nigerians are waiting and watching. The time to do the right thing is now.
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