Business
FCCPC files charges against MultiChoice over price hike
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has filed charges against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and its Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe, for defying regulatory directives to suspend a subscription price hike.
FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
On February 27, the FCCPC directed MultiChoice to suspend its planned price increase for DStv and GOtv services pending the conclusion of an investigation into the hike.
However, the company went ahead with the price adjustments on March 1, disregarding the directive.
The regulator said the charges, filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, were based on three counts: obstructing the Commission’s inquiry, failing to comply with directives, and attempting to mislead the regulatory body.
Part of the statement reads, “Following the blatant disregard for regulatory oversight, the FCCPC has filed charges against MultiChoice Nigeria and John Ugbe at the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, on three counts of offences under the FCCPA 2018.
“Specifically for willfully obstructing the Commission’s inquiry by implementing a price hike contrary to directives (Section 33(4)), impeding the ongoing investigation by ignoring instructions to suspend the hike (Section 110), and attempting to mislead the Commission by proceeding with the increase without objection (Section 159(2), punishable under Section 159(4)(a) and (b)).”
The Commission described MultiChoice’s actions as a deliberate attempt to undermine regulatory authority, disrupt market fairness, and deny Nigerian consumers the protection guaranteed under the law.
“By disregarding the FCCPC’s directive and implementing the price hike before appearing before the Commission’s investigative hearing on March 6, 2025, MultiChoice has not only flouted regulatory processes but also demonstrated a pattern of conduct that undermines consumer rights and fair competition,” the statement added.
In addition to the legal action, the FCCPC said it is considering further enforcement measures, including sanctions and regulatory interventions, to ensure compliance and accountability.
MultiChoice had earlier informed customers of the impending price review, set to take effect on March 1, 2025, attributing the adjustment to rising costs of delivering premium content.
According to the notice titled “Price Adjustments for DStv and GOtv Packages,” the company said, “Dear Customer, please note that effective March 1, 2025, there will be a price adjustment on all DStv packages.
This is to enable us to continue offering our customers world-class homegrown and international content, delivered through the best technology.
”While the Compact Plus and Premium bouquets will remain at N30,000 and N44,500, respectively, the DStv Compact package is among the subscriptions expected to be affected by the price increase.
Business
NTA didn’t introduce VAT on charges collected by banks — NRS
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) wishes to address and correct misleading narratives circulating in sections of the media suggesting that Value Added Tax (VAT) has been newly introduced on banking services, fees, commissions, or electronic money transfers.
Photo: NRS chairman, Zacch Adedeji
The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) has clarified that the Nigeria Tax Act (NTA) did not introduce VAT on banking charges, nor did it impose any new tax obligation on customers in this regard.
In a statement made available to newsmen and signed by Dare Adekanmbi, Special Adviser on Media to the NRS chairman, Zacch Adedeji, the service said the claims are incorrect.
According to the NRS, VAT has always applied to banking services and was not introduced by the Nigeria Tax Act.
The statement reads:
“The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) wishes to address and correct misleading narratives circulating in sections of the media suggesting that Value Added Tax (VAT) has been newly introduced on banking services, fees, commissions, or electronic money transfers.
This claim is categorically incorrect.
“VAT has always applied to fees, commissions, and charges for services rendered by banks and other financial institutions under Nigeria’s long-established VAT regime.”
Business
LIRS gives employers Jan 31 deadline for filing 2025 tax returns
The Executive Chairman of LIRS, Dr Ayodele Subair, who gave the directive on Thursday, reminded employers that the obligation to file annual returns is in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025.
The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service(LIRS) fixed statutory deadline of January 31, 2026, for all employers of labour in the state to file their annual tax returns for the 2025 financial year.
The Executive Chairman of LIRS, Dr Ayodele Subair, who gave the directive on Thursday, reminded employers that the obligation to file annual returns is in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025.
Subair explained that employers are required to file detailed returns on emoluments and compensation paid to their employees, as well as payments made to service providers, vendors, and consultants, and to ensure that all applicable taxes due for the 2025 year are fully remitted.
He emphasised that the filing of annual returns is a mandatory legal obligation and warned that failure to comply would attract statutory sanctions, including administrative penalties, as prescribed under the new tax law.
Business
Nigeria To Review Inflation Reporting First Time In 15 years
The agency said the expected spike in December inflation did not reflect actual price movements in the economy but was largely a statistical distortion caused by the rebasing of the Consumer Price Index.
Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has announced plans to revise its inflation reporting methodology.
This followed concerns that December’s year-on-year figure may be artificially inflated due to the impact of last year’s rebasing exercise.
The agency said the expected spike in December inflation did not reflect actual price movements in the economy but was largely a statistical distortion caused by the rebasing of the Consumer Price Index.
Reuters reported that the rebasing, the first in 15 years, adopted December 2024 as the index reference point.
Officials explained that the change is likely to exaggerate the year-on-year inflation figure for December without accurately capturing prevailing market trends.
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