Nigerians may be forced to pay higher to watch their favourite TV stations on DStv and GOtv as the parent company, MultiChoice, released new subscriptions with 26 percent increment.
According to the company in a statement on yesterday, the new tariffs will take effect from May 1, this year.
Similar announcement was made in April, 2023 as the company said the increase would take effect from May 1, 2023 as well.
The pay-TV firm cited the rise in the cost of business operations as the rationale behind the price increase.
This would be the third time the company would increase its subscription since April, 2023 as it increased the prices in April and November 2023 by over 20 per cent, claiming surging operational costs.
“We understand the impact this change may have on our valued customers and partners, but the rise in the cost of business operations, has led us to make this difficult decision,” they said in a statement sent to its customers through email.
From May 1, the pay-TV firm said customers on the DStv premium bouquet will begin to pay N37,000 from N29,500, and those on Compact+ would pay N25,000 from N19,800.
Customers on Compact bouquet will pay N15,700 — up from N12,500 — the organisation said.
To subscribe to Confam, Yanga, and Padi packages, customers will pay N9,300, N5,100, and N3,600 from N7,400, N4,200, and N2,950 respectively.
The price of HDPVR Access Service, Access Fees, and Xtraview bouquets was also increased from N4,000 to N5,000.
Multichoice also said GOtv Supa+ subscribers will pay N15,700 in contrast to the old price of N12,500.
Similarly, subscribers on GOtv Supa package are expected to pay N9,600 from N7,600; while customers on the GOtv Max bouquet will pay N7,200 instead of N5,700.
The GOtv Jolli package will cost N4,850 from N3,950, the company added.
Multichoice also said the price of the GOtv Jinja package would rise from N2,700 to N3,300; adding that subscribers of the GOtv Smallie would be required to pay N1,575 instead of N1,300.
Reacting to the development, subscribers under the aegis of Association of Telephone, Cable Tv and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS-Nigeria) have kicked against any further increment on the DStv and GOtv tariffs, saying such would not be accepted by Nigerians.
Speaking with New Telegraph, the National President of the Association, Sina Bilesanmi, said the increase is totally rejected. He urged the Federal Government to reject any such increase at the time the country is battling economic hardship.
Bilesanmi emphasised on Pay-As-You-Watch tarrif.