FCCPC Takes Multichoice To Court Over Price Hike

• FCCPC has filed charges against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and its CEO, John Ugbe, for defying regulatory directives.

• The FCCPC had directed MultiChoice to suspend its planned price increase for DStv and GOtv services, but the company went ahead with the price adjustments on March 1.

• The charges, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, are based on three counts: obstructing the Commission’s inquiry.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has filed charges against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and its Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe, for allegedly defying regulatory directives on subscription price adjustments.

The disclosure was made in a statement on Wednesday by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu.

The FCCPC had directed MultiChoice to suspend its planned price increase for DStv and GOtv services pending the conclusion of an investigation into the hike. However, the company went ahead with the price adjustments on March 1, disregarding the directive.

“Following the blatant disregard for regulatory oversight, the FCCPC has filed charges against MultiChoice Nigeria and John Ugbe at the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, on three counts of offences under the FCCPA 2018,” the statement read.

The charges are based on three counts: obstructing the Commission’s inquiry, failing to comply with directives, and attempting to mislead the regulatory body.

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The commission described MultiChoice’s actions as a deliberate attempt to undermine regulatory authority, disrupt market fairness, and deny Nigerian consumers the protection guaranteed under the law.

“By disregarding the FCCPC’s directive and implementing the price hike before appearing before the commission’s investigative hearing on March 6, 2025, MultiChoice has not only flouted regulatory processes but also demonstrated a pattern of conduct that undermines consumer rights and fair competition,” the statement added.

FCCPC Issues Final Order Against Coca-Cola, Nigerian Bottling Company

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has issued a final regulatory order against Coca-Cola and the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd for engaging in misleading trade descriptions and unfair marketing tactics.

The order, issued on July 29, follows an investigation that began in 2019, which revealed that the companies had misled consumers into believing that Coca-Cola’s ‘Original Taste, Less Sugar’ variant was unchanged when, in fact, it had been reformulated.

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