The Competition and Consumer Protection tribunal sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit challenging the price increase by MultiChoice Nigeria Limited.
A three member panel presided by Thomas Okosun dismissed the suit for lacking in merit
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This is the second judgment the tribunal will be delivering since it’s establishment in 2020.
Members of the tribunal were inaugurated by the minister of trade and investment, and activities kicked off at the tribunal in June 2021.
The tribunal however commenced sitting in March 2022.
Following a statement made by the firm in March 2022 that the subscription prices for the various bouquets on its platforms would increase on April 1, 2022, Mr. Onifade and the Coalition of Nigerian Consumers brought MultiChoice, the operators of DStv and GOtv platforms, before the tribunal.
He had asked the tribunal for an injunction preventing the company from hiking subscription fees for its services and other products on April 1 pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated and filed on March 29th.
Delivering judgment, a three-member panel of the tribunal, led by Thomas Okosun dismissed the suit for lacking merit.
The tribunal held that neither federal competition and consumer protection commission nor the tribunal has the power to regulate prices.
Only the president has the powers to regulate or fix prices of goods and services under stipulated circumstances which do not apply in this instance.”
The claimant failed to establish that MultiChoice abused its dominant position in the market and show evidence or establish how they suffered “psychological trauma, hardship or violation of their human rights” as a result of the price hike.
The FCCPC was ordered to expedite its investigation within six months to find out if Multichoice offers Pay as You Go services in other climes with a view to seeing same brought into force in Nigeria.
