Court Dismisses MultiChoice’s Suit on DStv, GOtv Price Hikes, Declares It Abuse of Process

A Federal High Court in Abuja threw a suit filed by Multichoice Nigeria Limited to a bid to protect the controversial DSTV and the price of GOTV from the regulatory investigation, which determined that the case was worth an abuse of the court process.

Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Thursday, weeks after hearing arguments from the pay-TV provider and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). He found that Multichoice had filed his case despite having a similar continued suit brought by the lawyer of consumer rights Festus Onifade. That case, also in front of the Federal High Court but in another division, discusses the same issues of pricing and is said to be abused by dominance.

“The plaintiff in this instant suit can be exposed to his grievance before the previous pending suit,” Omotosho decided. “This is an abuse of the court process.”

The FCCPC is that -overreach its powers – but still won

Although the judge co -worked with multichoice with some legal points, especially as the FCCPC had been -overstepped its boundaries by attempting to stop rising prices without completed investigation, he still removed the suit on the basis of double.

Omotosho acknowledged that while the FCCPC, as a federal agency, had the authority to investigate anti-competitor skills, it lacks law power to stop a company such as multichoice from setting prices in the deregulated Nigeria economy.

“The FCCPC has not been invested with the strength to suspend the rising price of a creature before conducting an investigation,” he ruled. “Nigeria runs a free market economy, and only the president can approve price regulation through a legal -back instrument or board control board.”

Despite the sharp criticism of the FCCPC's early interruption, the case eventually failed because it was improperly filed.

Background in case

In February 2025, Multichoice announced another rotation of price increases for DSTV and GOTV packages, citing inflation and operating costs. The new rates, which occurred on March 1, included a 25% increase for the DSTV compact (from N15,700 to N19,000) and an increase of 20% for the DSTV premium (from N37,000 to N44,500). The GOTV SUPA Plus Package has also seen an increase from N15,700 to N16,800.

The announcement pushed a wave of public backlash, with many Nigerians pointing to limited competition in the pay-TV market. In response, the FCCPC called the multichoice for an investigation hearing and warned that failure to justify walks could lead to penalties.

Multichoice, who filed a suit again in March to stop the FCCPC from taking any steps against it based on a letter dined on March 3, 2025. The company argued that the Commission had no legal authority to request price controls or approved regulation for service adjustments.

The lead for multichoice, Moosore Onigbanjo (SAN), told the court that price regulation was falling out of the FCCPC law. He insists that the principles of the free Nigerian market allow companies to set prices based on commercial considerations without the need for regulation clearance.

FCCPC defends the Mandate to hinder market abuse

FCCPC's legal team, led by Prof. Joe Agbugu (San), maintained that the commission did not attempt to adjust the prices but to investigate the dominant multichoice position and whether its actions violate the market fairness.

Agbugu pointed out consumers' complaints and argued that uncontrollable price increases without a market competition could be abusing dominance, which the FCCPC empowered to meet under its establishment of law.

However, the court has not been convinced of this reasoning line, at least about the timing of the FCCPC intervention. Justice Omotosho ruled that an investigation should prevail any directive or punishment, and the commission will act prematurely.

However, he concluded that the broader question of dominance in the market should be addressed in the onifade -filed suit, making the action of multichoice.

Why is multichoice targeted?

Economists have questioned the motive behind the FCCPC's exclusive focus on multichoice, despite similar pricing movements of other content platforms and pay-TV providers operating in Nigeria. Many are linked to this development in multichoice multinational status.

However, the judge recalled a 2022 decision through the consumer protection competition and tribunal that recognized the multichoice's right to raise subscription prices, noting that consumers could choose from alternative services.

He warned that any attempt to adjust prices in a free market economy could impede investment and damage the country's economic image.

“Prices cannot be repaired in a free market economy. The attempt to fix prices will only scare the investors,” he said.

The judge's decision means that the Multichoice suit has been removed, and the FCCPC is free to proceed with its own legal action filed in Lagos due to the company's failure to cooperate with regulatory investigations.

However, the decision also obtains clear boundaries for the FCCPC, which clarifies that it will not interfere with pricing unless a formal investigation finds evidence of market abuse. The commission is limited to the release of guidelines or making the president's recommendations on price -related interventions.

This judgment re -confirms the challenge regulators faced with mitigating powerful market players in a liberalized economy. It also featured legal tightrope between consumer protection and promoting Nigerian Constitution's commitment to a free market.

With the removal of the Abuja suit, the stage is now set for a potential legal showdown in Lagos, where the FCCPC case accusing the multichoice of preventing an investigation is still pending. Multichoice, in part of it, maintains that it is unfairly targeted and that it operates within its rights under the Nigeria economy framework.