- MultiChoice Nigeria CEO John Ugbe and several directors are set to be arraigned for allegedly obstructing an FCCPC investigation and ignoring lawful summons.
- The charges, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, accuse the Pay TV company of failing to submit requested documents and impeding regulatory efforts.
- Justice James Omotosho adjourned the arraignment to October 7, 2025, after the FCCPC confirmed the defendants had not yet been personally served.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is preparing to arraign MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, its Chief Executive Officer John Ugbe, and several directors over allegations of obstructing an ongoing investigation and ignoring a lawful summons.
According to charge sheet FHC/ABJ/CR/197/2025, filed by FCCPC’s legal team led by Nsitem Chizenum Esq. and obtained by Nairametrics, the company and its executives are accused of failing to appear before the Commission on March 6, 2025, as directed in a summons dated February 25.
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Named alongside Ugbe as defendants are Gozie Onumonu, Adewunmi Ogunsanya, and five others. They are alleged to have deliberately refused to submit requested documents crucial to the Commission’s inquiry, a move the FCCPC considers a violation of Section 3 of the FCCPC Act, 2018.
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The charge sheet reads:
“Being Directors of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited on or about the 6th day of March, 2025, at 23 Jimmy Carter Street, Asokoro, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, caused the aforesaid MultiChoice Nigeria Limited to fail to produce documents which the Company was required to produce, in compliance with a lawful summons issued and dated 25 February, 2025, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3 of the FCCPC Act 2018.”
The Commission also alleges that the defendants attempted to obstruct the investigation by withholding vital documents.
What Happened in Court
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the FCCPC legal representative informed Justice James Omotosho that while the charge has been filed, the individual defendants are yet to be personally served.
As a result, Justice Omotosho adjourned the case to October 7, 2025, for arraignment.
Background
This legal development follows the Federal High Court’s decision on May 8, 2025, to dismiss a suit filed by MultiChoice seeking to uphold recent price increases for its DStv and GOtv services.
Justice Omotosho described the suit as an “abuse of court process,” dismissing claims by MultiChoice’s legal team—led by Onigbanjo SAN—that the company was denied fair hearing in a letter from the FCCPC dated March 3, 2025.
Earlier in the year, the FCCPC had expressed concern over MultiChoice’s frequent price hikes and potential anti-competitive behaviour. The agency summoned the CEO for an investigative hearing scheduled for February 27, 2025, warning of possible sanctions if the company failed to provide a reasonable explanation.
Despite an earlier interim court order barring the FCCPC from administrative action, the court eventually ruled in the Commission’s favour, clearing the path for further regulatory action.
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