MultiChoice rejects Tribunal's ruling, heads to Appeal Court

MultiChoice Nigeria has rejected the ruling of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) regarding its jurisdiction to entertain a price regulation matter.

The CCPT had on Friday fined MultiChoice N150 million for disobeying its order on subscription rates hike for DStv and Gotv packages.

The tribunal, sitting in Abuja, also ordered the PayTv operator to give a one-month free subscription to all its Nigerian subscribers on the DStv and Gotv platforms, for flouting its order.

The three-member tribunal chaired by Thomas Okosun in a ruling, found Multichoice culpable of contempt, by flouting its earlier order restraining the PayTv operator from implementing hike in its subscription rates for DStv and GOtv.

The CCPT had, on April 29, restrained MultiChoice from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services scheduled to begin on May 1.

The tribunal gave the interim order following an ex-parte motion moved by Ejiro Awaritoma, counsel for the applicant, Festus Onifade.

But MultiChoice, in a statement on Friday disagreed with the ruling, saying it would file an appeal against the ruling.

“MultiChoice Nigeria is aware of the recent ruling by the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) regarding its jurisdiction to entertain a price regulation matter.

“We disagree with the ruling, and will therefore file an appeal against said ruling. As the matter is currently subjudice, we are restrained from making further comments,” the company said.