MultiChoice Group, the South African-owned provider of DStv and GOtv, is facing backlash from Nigerian subscribers after announcing a substantial loss of 243,000 subscribers in its Nigerian market over a six-month period.
According to the reports, MultiChoice disclosed this subscriber loss in its interim financial report for the period ending Sept. 30. The company cited Nigeria’s soaring inflation, which has now exceeded 30%, as a primary factor, attributing the decline to rising costs of essentials like food, electricity, and fuel, which have led many customers to opt out of the service.
MultiChoice also revealed a 566,000-subscriber loss across the Rest of Africa operations, with Nigeria and Zambia being the main contributors.
The announcement has sparked a wave of criticism from Nigerian subscribers, with many taking to social media to express their dissatisfaction. Complaints centered on MultiChoice’s subscription prices, which customers say are becoming increasingly unaffordable in the current economic climate.
One user, @cashoggy, remarked, “They will still lose more subscribers. Internet and smart TV have made DStv less attractive with their rates. Imagine paying 25,700 for a premium subscription when you can watch everything online for less.”
Similarly, @gentle_t questioned, “Why would we keep subscribing when people can watch whatever they want on their phones 24/7?”
Several users expressed frustration at MultiChoice’s content quality and high subscription fees. @NdubuisiNC commented, “The downfall of this company in Nigeria will be televised. They’re only kept alive by the football channels; people have complained for years about how boring the rest of the content is.”
Another user, @ribaduabubakar2, wrote, “I’ve moved to another platform. They kept raising prices as if we can’t live without them. I’ll even give away my decoder and dish for free.”
This public discontent comes just eight months after Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) ordered MultiChoice Nigeria to suspend a proposed tariff hike. Despite legal disputes, the company went ahead with increased rates for DStv and GOtv packages in May, drawing further criticism from customers who now feel priced out of the service.
With widespread disapproval and increasing competition from alternative streaming options, MultiChoice faces mounting pressure to address customer concerns if it hopes to regain its subscriber base in Nigeria.
