DStv, GOtv Subscribers May Pay More From September

A source close to the company revealed that subscription prices may increase by about 10% with premium package going as high N21,000, Compact Plus will go above N14,000 and GOtv Max subscription jumping to slightly above N4000, once the new price takes effect.

This is not a lone occurrence for Nigerian subscribers, as Multichoice has increased the subscription charges in other African countries over the last 6 months. This week, Ghana, Malawi, and Tanzania announced a new price regime from September 1.

MultiChoice Ghana’s latest increase is coming just 6 months after its last price hike. MultiChoice Ghana gave no reasons to its customers or the media for its latest price hike. From September 1, DStv Premium will rise by 5.6% from GHS369 (R913) per month to GHS390 (R965) per month, DStv Compact Plus by 5.26% from GHS228 to GHS240, while DStv Compact will increase by 5.2% from GHS152 to GHS160.

MultiChoice Tanzania equally announced a 5 – 9 percent increase on its DStv subscription charges on all bouquets with effect from September 1, but didn’t provide its customers with any reason. According to the reports and text messages sent to subscribers, the Premium bouquet will now cost Sh145,000 (formerly Sh139,000), the Compact Plus tariff plan will cost Sh93,000 (formerly Sh89,000), while the Compact tariff plan will cost Sh51,000 (formerly Sh49,000) for monthly subscriptions.

Just last week, MultiChoice Kenya announced price increases ranging from 5 to 9 percent for DStv and GOtv customers, effective September 1, 2021. Customers on the Premium tariff will pay KES 8,400 per month (formerly KES 7,900), the Compact Plus will increase from KES 4,800 to KES 5,100, while Compact will increase from KES 2,650 to KES 2,800. DStv Family will now cost KES 1,500 (from KES1380) while DStv Access will cost KES 1,050 (from KES1 000). Similar increases are also seen across the GOtv packages.

Multichoice Uganda also announced a 6 percent increase in subscription prices for all packages.

In South Africa, a 1 – 6 percent price increase took effect on Thursday 1 April 2021. Premium, Compact, and Compact Plus subscriptions were increased by R10 monthly to become R829, R409, and R529 respectively. The DStv Family package went up from R279 to R295, while DStv Access increased from R110 to R115.

Despite the probe by the Nigerian Senate in 2016, over alleged unwholesome practices and unreasonable subscription hikes, Multichoice Nigeria still makes price adjustment a yearly ritual. The company has hiked its subscriptions by an average of 31% in five years.

In 2020, the pay-TV increased subscription price twice within a space of three months. Recall that there was a price increase in June 2020 (to reflect a 2.5% VAT) and another 9 – 14 percent increase in subscription prices in August 2020. The 10 – 14% increase across board from September 2021, is coming exactly one year after the last one.

The Nation