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Save the Consumers Condemns MultiChoice’s Price Discriminations Between Nigerian and South African Subscribers

South African subscribers benefit from reduced pricing, such as the “Add Movies” bolt-on slashed by 38% to R49, alongside additional channels and enhanced streaming features.

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Save the Consumers, a Nigerian non-governmental organisation committed to defending consumer rights, strongly condemns the recent 21 percent price increase imposed by MultiChoice Nigeria on its DStv and GOtv services.

In a comparisons of the subscriptions price being paid by subscribers in Nigeria and South Africa,  Save the Consumers,  juxtaposed that the MultiChoice’s price adjustments in Nigeria was in stark contrast to the company’s decision to reduce prices by up to 38% and enhance value for its South African subscribers during the same period.

Dr. Aliyu Ilias , the Executive Director of Save the Consumers,  argued that the action was not only insensitive and exploitative, but also blatantly discriminatory.

He said noted that less than a year after the May 2024 price hike in Nigeria, the new increase openly defies a directive from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to suspend all price adjustments pending the conclusion of ongoing investigations.

The statement reads:”It reflects MultiChoice’s clear disregard for both Nigerian consumers and regulatory authority. Even more troubling is the company’s simultaneous enhancement of service offerings and reduction of prices for South African customers.

In South Africa, MultiChoice has lowered fees on various products, added new channels, and introduced features that improve the user experience, all while acknowledging the financial pressures faced by South African households.

This double standard, lowering prices at home while increasing them in Nigeria, amounts to economic discrimination and reinforces long-standing concerns about MultiChoice’s exploitative approach toward the Nigerian market.

It is indefensible for MultiChoice to cite inflation in Nigeria as justification for the hike while offering consumer-friendly pricing in South Africa.

This reflects a disturbing double standard, with Nigerian consumers continuing to suffer under a near-monopolistic market structure that MultiChoice exploits with impunity.

While MultiChoice claims the price hike is necessary to deliver “world-class content,” Nigerian subscribers still face persistent challenges that remain unaddressed despite repeated complaints.

These include repetitive content, frequent service disruptions, and poor value for money.

Rather than resolving these issues, MultiChoice has chosen to penalise its loyal Nigerian customers with higher prices, once again proving that profit, not service or fairness, is its primary motivation.

Meanwhile, South African subscribers benefit from reduced pricing, such as the “Add Movies” bolt-on slashed by 38% to R49, alongside additional channels and enhanced streaming features.

MultiChoice CEO Byron Du Plessis’s justification that these changes are due to “financial pressures faced by households” further demonstrates the company’s hypocritical and disingenuous treatment of Nigerian consumers, who are themselves grappling with a severe cost-of-living crisis.

MultiChoice’s dominance in Nigeria’s pay-TV sector, enabled by a lack of effective competition, has emboldened its monopolistic practices.

The ease with which it increases prices without fear of losing market share highlights the urgent need for regulatory intervention. Nigerian consumers are effectively held captive in a market where choice is limited and abuse is rampant.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) must take decisive steps to foster genuine competition in the pay-TV sector and dismantle MultiChoice’s stranglehold on the market.

We call on Nigerian consumers to explore alternative platforms and consider boycotting DStv and GOtv until MultiChoice demonstrates genuine respect for their rights.

Save the Consumers demands the immediate reversal of the March 2025 price hike, compensation for subscribers affected by repeated, unjustified price increases and service deficiencies, and full compliance with the FCCPC’s directive.

We urge the FCCPC to initiate legal proceedings against MultiChoice for its defiance of regulatory orders and its disregard for consumer welfare.

A transparent investigation into its pricing model, service quality, and compliance with Nigerian competition and consumer protection laws is essential.

We call on Nigerian consumers to explore alternative platforms and consider boycotting DStv and GOtv until MultiChoice demonstrates genuine respect for their rights.

MultiChoice’s discriminatory pricing, rewarding South African subscribers with lower costs and better services while exploiting Nigerians, is a glaring example of unchecked corporate greed. Save the Consumers stands firmly with Nigerian subscribers in rejecting this injustice and calls on all stakeholders to hold MultiChoice accountable.

The Nigerian market deserves dignity, not exploitation. No company should be allowed to operate above the law or treat Nigerian consumers as second-class subscribers.”

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Business

Police Investigates over N270m Thefts in UBA

CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s public relations officer, disclosed that the suspects conspired to illegally divert funds from domiciliary accounts into personal accounts before redistributing them to multiple destinations.

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The Lagos State Police Command is questioning four officials of the United Bank for Africa (UBA)  for alleged thefts of £138,924 (over N270 million) from international airlines’ accounts.

CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s public relations officer, disclosed that the suspects conspired to illegally divert funds from domiciliary accounts into personal accounts before redistributing them to multiple destinations.

The fraud was uncovered when the bank detected unauthorized transactions and alerted the police.

The arrested officials include Shuaib Oluwatobiloba Olaleye, 27, who was arrested on March 12, 2025, in Ogun State, with a Toyota Camry 2012/2013 recovered from him. Oladunjoye Adegoke, 33, was arrested on March 13, 2025, in Victoria Island, Lagos, with a Toyota Camry (Pencil Light) recovered.

Austin Alfred, 38, Supervisor of the bank’s Trade Services Department, and Jude Uzobuaku, 36, a processor in the same department, were also arrested for facilitating the illegal transfer of funds to foreign accounts.

Police investigations revealed that the stolen funds were initially funneled into an account belonging to one of the suspects before being distributed to multiple other accounts to evade detection. Authorities are now working to identify additional accomplices and recover the remaining funds.

The suspects are in custody and will face prosecution as the investigation continues.

The police have urged the public to report suspicious financial transactions, reiterating their commitment to tackling economic crimes. 

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Impact Investors Launches New Report to Strengthen Nigeria’s Research, Innovation, and Commercialization Ecosystem

Etemore Glover, CEO of Impact Investors Foundation, said: “By mapping out key players and identifying the challenges they face, we now have a clear direction for collaboration to bridging gaps and creating a thriving research commercialization framework,”

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The Impact Investors Foundation (IIF), has launched a comprehensive Nigeria Impact Investing Research and Industry Collaborative (NIIRIC) Stakeholder Mapping Report to identify critical gaps and collaboration opportunities in Nigeria’s research, innovation, and commercialisation landscape.

In a statement, Ifeoluwa OgunfuwaAssistant Manager, Impact Investors Foundation, disclosed that the pivotal study officially launched in Lagos at a virtual event, provides an in-depth assessment of Nigeria’s research ecosystem, identifying key public and private stakeholders involved in research and innovation, as well as those who utilize research findings.

It reads: ” Funded by the UK International Development of the UK Government in the third phase of the Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund’s Sustainable Systems for Research and Innovation Financing Project (SSRIF II), this report provides vital data to drive policy reforms, strategic investments, and cross-sector collaboration among key stakeholders, including academia, government, industry, and investors.

The Nigerian research and innovation ecosystem is a dynamic yet under-optimised network involving key stakeholders across academia, government, private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), financial institutions, and international bodies. 

The gap between academia and industry remains a significant challenge, compounded by inadequate funding, outdated infrastructure, and a lack of coordination among research bodies.

This report provides actionable recommendations to foster an environment where research is not only published but also translated into impactful, scalable businesses.

The study called for an alignment between academia, industry, government, and other stakeholders to unlock Nigeria’s full potential in innovation-driven economic growth.

Key findings from the report include the following:

• A lack of structured pathways for commercialization is a barrier that limits its impact on economic development.

• The absence of a centralized platform has led to fragmented efforts and missed opportunities for scaling innovations.

• Weak intellectual property protection, limited funding, and unclear commercialization guidelines remain barriers to private-sector engagement.

• Strategic partnerships and dedicated financing mechanisms can accelerate the transformation of research into market-ready solutions.

“This report is a game-changer for Nigeria’s research ecosystem. “

Etemore Glover, CEO of Impact Investors Foundation, said: “By mapping out key players and identifying the challenges they face, we now have a clear direction for collaboration to bridging gaps and creating a thriving research commercialization framework,”

“We aim to leverage the report’s insights to scale innovations that positively impact the community.

Oretanya Oreva, Director, Lagos Business School Sustainability Center and Lead, Capacity Building, NIIRIC Steering Committee, added : “Our priorities are to promote local innovation and self-sufficiency, both locally and nationally, and to cultivate a robust collaboration ecosystem between researchers and industry.”

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Google promises 300,000 jobs in South Africa

South Africa’s official unemployment rate was last reported at 31.9%, with youth unemployment for those aged between 15 and 35 sitting at 44.6%, according to Statistics South Africa’s labour force survey for Q4 2024.

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Google says its investment in data centre infrastructure in Johannesburg, part of a greater R18 billion investment in Africa, should help create 300,000 jobs and contribute R1.7 trillion to the South African economy by 2030.

Mybroadband reports that the tech powerhouse added that South Africa also has the unique opportunity to rapidly develop its nascent artificial intelligence sector to become an AI leader on the African continent and the global stage, given its youth bulge and high unemployment rate.

This is according to Google’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa President Tara Brady, who spoke during a press conference on Wednesday at the launch of the company’s Johannesburg cloud region.

“I do believe that when you have a large number of organisations willing to invest in training, you could leapfrog many other countries and become an AI leader,” Brady said. Brady was commenting on the 300,000 jobs Google said their infrastructure investment in Johannesburg would help create by 2030.

He added that Google has identified a unique advantage in South Africa due to its high unemployment rate, which is not seen in other countries around the world.

“When you have such high unemployment, it means that we can put those people to work, which is an opportunity that we don’t have in other regions,” Brady said.

“So if South Africa wants to, we are prepared to invest in AI together here.

South Africa’s official unemployment rate was last reported at 31.9%, with youth unemployment for those aged between 15 and 35 sitting at 44.6%, according to Statistics South Africa’s labour force survey for Q4 2024.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced in 2021 that the tech giant would invest $1 billion (R18 billion) over five years in digital transformation on the continent.

Brady said that while a “large chunk” of this was dedicated to the cloud region, it also focused on skilling people in Africa and aiding tech startups in the region.

South Africa’s minister of communications and digital technologies, Solly Malatsi, who did not attend the event but delivered a prerecorded address, emphasised the importance of these skilling initiatives in the country’s vision of a digital future.

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