By Emmanuel Abiodun

A little over a week ago, streaming service provider, Netflix, announced a subscription hike, the third within a year. With the announcement, Netflix’s Premium plan climbed to N8,500 a month from N7,000. The Standard plan moved to N6,500 from N5,500, while the Basic plan rose to N4,000 from N3,500. The Mobile plan became N2,500, up from N2,200. The curious (perhaps not exactly curious) thing is that there was no outcry or subscriber outrage. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), which carried on like a pit bull until early last month when a court ruling knocked the stuffing out of it, has become one of those playful sitting room dog breeds.

It may be tempting to think that it was the court ruling that put it on a leash. That, however, would be wrong. It has never been interested in price reviews by other businesses in whatever sector. Contrast that with the public circus that traditionally kicks off whenever MultiChoice, operators of DStv and GOtv, announce price changes. In February, when MutiChoice announced its most recent price adjustments, which took effect on 1 March, the FCCPC almost suffered a stroke caused by rage at what it described as the exploitation of Nigerians.

It tried to block the increases and threatened a bouquet of administrative sanctions if its instructions were not heeded. MultiChoice went to court. On 8 May, the recent Federal High Court ruling made it clear: the FCCPC lacks the authority to intervene in pricing decisions of businesses because the country is a free enterprise space.

The court observed that only the President can regulate prices by law and that any such delegation must be gazetted. In stripping the FCCPC of its claim to set MultiChoice’s fees, the judge also pointed out that price controls, if ever warranted, should apply to an entire industry rather than being wielded like a cudgel against one company. As John Oladapo remarked on X, “While FCCPC painted the case like a win because it was struck out for ‘abuse of court process,’ it wasn’t a win. The court went a step further to insinuate that the FCCPC was after certain industry players and that regulation should be industry-wide, not picking on a specific player.”

The irony is hard to ignore. Telecoms giants such as MTN and Airtel hiked their data and voice-call plans by 50 per cent. Global FMCGs like Coca-Cola and Nigerian Breweries have upped prices repeatedly over the past 18 months. Even essential services such as BRT bus fares, train tickets, and passport renewal fees have gone up, often with little to no public backlash or regulatory intervention.

Yet, whenever MultiChoice reviews its subscription packages, packages that remain among the most affordable in Africa, the company is front-page news, vilified as though it alone should bear the burden of of the worsening business conditions in the country.

To be clear, MultiChoice does not set its pricing in a vacuum. Every channel on DStv and GOtv, from live European football to Hollywood blockbusters, must be licensed for millions of dollars in foreign currency. Those who think the pay television space equals life on the beach should at the fate that recently befell iROKOtv. Once hailed as “Nigeria’s own Netflix,” iROKOtv spent over $100 million trying to build a streaming service exclusively with Nigerian content. Despite initial enthusiasm and heavy external funding, it ultimately shuttered. its operations in Nigeria, citing a market unwilling to pay for subscriptions. If a Nigerian platform cannot sustain itself on local subscriptions alone, what chance does a company relying on licensed content priced in dollars have? Yet iROKOtv’s exit barely merited a footnote in the regulatory debate.

Now, letus dive into the heart of the matter: selective enforcement. The FCCPC’s posturing over DStv’s rate adjustment has been nothing short of hypocritical. Last year, the Nigerian Passport Service raised application and renewal fees with barely a whisper from consumer rights watchdogs. Meanwhile, fuel stations are free to raise petrol prices; electricity tariffs, prices of medications, food items and other household needs have soared unchecked. Private educational institutions are raising fees as they deem fit.

The FCCPC considers those needs inferior to that of watching pay television provided by MultiChoice. Singling out MultiChoice ignores the fundamental economic logic at play: when inflation consistently exceeds 30 per cent, the naira hovers around N1,600 to the dollar, and operational costs, studio productions, satellite transponders, transmission towers, skyrocket, no business can hold prices steady indefinitely. The court ruling was more than a procedural victory; it was a rebuke to the practice of regulatory bullying, which punishes just one business and head-rubs the others.

Nigeria is not Soviet Union 2.0, where strict price regulation inherited from the communist era can be at play. Blanket, arbitrary investigations do little to foster investor confidence; they simply encourage companies to consider exit strategies, just as Netflix has quietly moved many of its headquarters functions out of Lagos, and just as the last iROKOtv executive chronicled in her memoir that “the moment you become a lone target, you start slipping out the back door.”

Let us not pretend that price reviews are somehow unique to pay-TV. The moment Nigerians accept that a free market exists only for some participants, and only when regulators choose to intervene in a theatrically selective fashion, is the moment we consign ourselves to perpetual economic theatre. If the cost of a DStv Premium bouquet, still the lowest among African multichannel operators, represents exploitation, what should we call the 33% petrol bump? Or the 70% rise in local rice prices in 18 months? A consumer-advocacy board that demands justice for one and silence for many forfeits its credibility.

The Federal High Court ruling should serve as a rallying cry: no single company may be scapegoated for broader inflationary pressures. While the FCCPC’s statement triumphantly declared a victory, the real takeaway is that targeting one player undermines trust in the entire regulatory framework. Rather than pontificating from press releases, the commission must shift to measured, transparent investigations across all sectors, ensuring that any decision to challenge price adjustments is grounded in economic data and a true demonstration of monopoly power, not in the optics of populist outrage.

Nigerians deserve equal treatment under the law. If the FCCPC is truly concerned about predatory pricing, it must first show that any company, be it StarTimes, Netflix, or even petrol retailers, holds a dominant position that harms consumer welfare. Until then, we must guard against regulatory grandstanding that punishes the visible and spares the rest. Because if the choice is between a free-market status quo and an unpredictable “anything goes” attitude toward price controls, the verdict is clear: allow businesses the room to operate, innovate, and, yes, adjust their fees when the macroeconomic winds blow cold. A measured, industry-wide approach will fare far better than ritual humiliations aimed solely at MultiChoice.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Worsening macroeconomic and consumer conditions in Africa have continued to have a negative impact on companies operating on the continent, with a prominent pay-TV firm, MultiChoice Group, losing about 8 per cent of its subscriber base in one year.

Details of its financial statements for the 2025 fiscal year ended March 31, 2025, showed that MultiChoice subscriber base went down to 14.5 million from 14.9 million in the previous year, driven by a weak consumer environment across markets as well as preference for alternatives.

However, despite these headwinds, the organisation delivered ZAR3.7 billion in cost savings, well ahead of the revised ZAR2.5 billion target set at the interim stage and almost double the ZAR1.9 billion saved in FY24.

The company said a disciplined approach to inflationary pricing, with increases of 5.7 per cent in South Africa and an average of 31 per cent in local currency in Rest of Africa, also helped to mitigate the impact of subscriber losses and supported 1 per cent year-on-year (YoY) organic revenue growth, influenced by pricing and new product growth.

On a reported basis, revenues declined by 9 per cent to ZAR50.8 billion, primarily due to an 11 per cent drop in subscription revenue, as well as the impact of currency headwinds, and the deconsolidation of the NMSIS insurance business from December 2024.

Trading profit increased by 20 per cent before accounting for the investment in Showmax, the impact of currency weakness and M&A activity.

After incorporating Showmax’s trading losses and ZAR5.2 billion in foreign currency revenue losses, and partially offset by the ZAR3.7 billion in cost savings, trading profit on a reported basis declined to ZAR4.0 billion.

In the period under review, MultiChoice performed well in its video entertainment segment, with new products and services delivering strong growth.

It grew its revenue from DStv Internet by 85 per cent, as KingMakers delivered a 76 per cent growth in constant currency and DStv Stream rose by 48 per cent, with Showmax active paying customers increasing by 44 per cent.

Importantly, the group returned to a positive equity position through a combination of cost savings, a stabilisation in currencies, and the accounting gain on the sale of 60 per cent of its shareholding in its insurance business (NMSIS) to Sanlam.

The chief executive of MultiChoice Group, Mr Calvo Mawela, while commenting on the results, said, “Our performance reflects both the challenges we’ve faced and the resilience of our teams.

“While macroeconomic pressures and currency volatility have weighed on our results, our disciplined execution, cost management and investment in new long-term growth opportunities position us well for the future.

“We remain focused on being Africa’s entertainment platform of choice. Our strategy is shaped by developments in our industry such as changes in technology which are driving shifts in consumer behaviour, as well as the impact of a rise in piracy, streaming services, and social media.”

By Adedapo Adesanya

Top Nigerian food and beverage company, Rite Foods Limited, has used the 2025 World Food Safety Day to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the highest standards of food safety, quality, and consumer wellbeing.

Themed Food Safety: Science in Action, this year’s observance emphasizes the critical role of science, innovation, and collective responsibility in ensuring the food we eat is safe.

“At Rite Foods, this theme resonates deeply with our operational philosophy, where food safety is not just a goal but a culture deeply ingrained across all levels of our organization,” the organisation said in a statement shared with Business Post.

“Food safety is more than a priority for us, it’s a culture we live every day,” said Mr Seleem Adegunwa, Managing Director/CEO of Rite Foods Limited. “From sourcing raw materials to production, packaging, and distribution, we apply global best practices backed by science, innovation, and a team that is passionately committed to excellence.”

In line with the global observance, Rite Foods also organized a week-long series of internal activities aimed at raising awareness, reinforcing hygiene practices, and fostering personal responsibility among its workforce.

These included interactive sensitization sessions, handwashing demonstrations across shifts, cross-departmental discussions, and food safety pledges written and displayed by employees. Staff also participated in a company-wide food safety quiz to reinforce their knowledge and boost engagement.

The company took time to recognize the often-unsung heroes of its food safety system, its Quality Control team, whose diligence ensures that every product leaving the production line adheres to internationally recognized standards.

Backed by certifications such as ISO 22000:2018 and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Rite Foods say it continues to set the benchmark in delivering safe, high-quality products to Nigerian consumers, from the bold Fearless Energy Drink and refreshing Bigi range, to the satisfying Rite sausages and juicy Sosa fruit drinks.

“This World Food Safety Day and beyond, Rite Foods remains committed to ensuring that science, quality, and a shared sense of responsibility continue to drive progress,” the company added.