A Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown out a lawsuit filed by MultiChoice Nigeria aimed at stopping the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) from investigating its recent subscription price increases.
According to Premium Times, the court’s decision allows the FCCPC to resume its inquiry into the company’s pricing strategy for its DStv and GOtv services, which saw subscription rates rise on March 1—less than a year after a previous hike. The move led to public outcry and regulatory attention.
Justice James Omotosho struck out the case, calling it an “abuse of court process” due to a similar case already pending before another court. His ruling affirms the powers granted to the FCCPC under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018, especially Sections 17 and 88, which allow the Commission to investigate potentially exploitative pricing and advise the President on regulated pricing.
The FCCPC had summoned MultiChoice’s leadership shortly after the price increase announcement, requesting they appear for a hearing and postpone the hike pending investigation. The company declined to delay the change and instead filed a lawsuit on March 3, which initially paused the Commission’s actions via an interim court order.
Reacting to the court’s decision, FCCPC CEO Tunji Bello stated:
“It sends a clear message that regulatory agencies will not be hindered by procedural roadblocks when exercising their lawful mandate to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in the marketplace.”
The ruling enables the Commission to move forward with its review, reinforcing regulatory oversight in sectors affecting Nigerian consumers.
Article updated 3 weeks ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
