General
5 Platforms to Pay DSTV and Startimes Subscription in Nigeria
Many of us grew up watching Ben 10 on Cartoon Network or Monday Night Raw on WWE. These days, it’s more about catching the Champions League or staying updated with international news on Al Jazeera.
Regardless of what you enjoy, one thing’s clear. Cable TV has always played a big role in our entertainment.
A few years ago, paying for cable meant visiting an authorised outlet. But now, thanks to online bill payments, you can sort your Startimes or DSTV payment right from your phone or any mobile device.
This article will walk you through five of the best platforms in Nigeria where you can renew your subscription without ever stepping into a physical outlet.
5 Best Platforms to Pay DSTV and Startimes Subscription in Nigeria
Gone are the days of queuing at outlets just to renew your cable TV subscription. Now, you can pay for DSTV and Startimes in minutes, right from your phone. Below is a quick comparison of five trusted platforms: Cardtonic, MyDSTV, Startimes ON, your Bank App, and USSD, based on transaction charges, discounts, and how easy they are to access.
| s/n | Platforms | DSTV or Startimes | Transactions Charges | Discount/ Promo Prices | Accessibility |
| 1 | Cardtonic | Both | No | Yes | Mobile App or Website |
| 2 | myDSTV | DSTV | Yes | Yes | Mobile App or Website |
| 3 | Bank App | Both | Yes | No | Mobile App |
| 4 | Startimes ON | Startimes | Yes | Yes | Mobile App or Website |
| 5 | USSD | Both | Yes | No | Offline |
1. Cardtonic
Cardtonic isn’t just another bill payment platform. It’s an all-in-one solution built for speed, convenience, and real value. When it comes to renewing your DSTV or Startimes subscription, Cardtonic lets you do it in minutes without stress.
Just log in, tap on “Bills,” select your cable provider, choose a package, enter your smartcard number, and confirm the transaction. That’s it—subscription sorted.
But here’s what makes Cardtonic stand out: beyond fast cable payments, you get zero transaction charges, exclusive discounted packages, and occasional promo offers that reward you just for paying your bills.
It also does way more than cable TV. With Cardtonic, you can pay utility bills online, buy airtime, top up data, trade gift cards, and even manage a virtual dollar card for international payments—all in one clean, easy-to-use app or website.
If you’re looking for a trusted platform that makes bill payments quick, affordable, and rewarding, Cardtonic is your best bet.
2. MyDSTV App
The moment you own a DSTV, you automatically have a MyDSTV account, and you can use it to pay for your DSTV subscription.
You can access MyDSTV by logging in through the website or downloading the app on your mobile device. As a first-timer, you will need to provide essential details like the email address and phone number you used to register your DSTV. You also need to provide your smartcard number and confirm the account via email.
After logging in, scan the app and locate “Subscriptions.” Here, you will see the current subscription package you are on and a list displaying other packages. Make your choice, click on payment and proceed with the on-screen instructions.
3. Bank App
Many Nigerian banks now have mobile apps that you can use to carry out your online transactions, including paying for cable TV. Whether you want to pay for DSTV or Startimes, the process is entirely the same.
To get started, ensure your bank has a working app and offers utility payments. Use your bank details to log into the app. Search for the main menu or scroll through the dashboard and locate either “Bills or Utility.” Choose Cable TV and finally pick between DSTV or StarTimes. Provide all necessary details, like your smart card number and the subscription package you want.
Within a few minutes, depending on the bank’s network, you should have successfully paid for your cable TV online.
4. Startimes ON App
Startimes ON is a mobile app that allows you to make basic transactions and set up settings for your StarTimes decoder. To use Startimes ON to pay for your cable, you need to log in and link your decoder to the app.
You can link your decoder by inputting your smartcard number and confirming your login details. Afterwards, click on the “Me” icon, and a bunch of information regarding your subscription will be displayed there. Your package and the remaining valid subscription days will also be shown on the screen.
If the subscription has expired, it will also be displayed. In this case, you should click on “Pay” in the top right corner of the app. A list of Startimes subscription prices and packages will appear. Select the one you want and click “next.”
You will be presented with a variety of payment methods. You can decide to finalise your payment using your mobile wallet, like Cardtonic, or your bank card. The speed and efficiency of this payment depend on the network used to carry out the transaction.
5. USSD
Using USSD to pay for cable TV depends on the bank you intend to use and your phone network, Airtel or MTN.
To pay for DSTV or Startimes using USSD, confirm that your bank supports cable TV subscriptions via USSD and ensure your mobile network is active.
To get started, dial your bank’s USSD code and follow the on-screen prompts until you’re asked to choose between DSTV and Startimes. Select your preferred option, pick the bouquet you want, enter your bank PIN, and confirm the transaction.
Frequently Asked Questions About Paying Cable TV Subscriptions in Nigeria
- Can I Top-up My DSTV Subscription Online in Nigeria?
Yes, you can top up your DSTV subscription online in Nigeria. By using online bill payment platforms like Cardtonic, MyDSTV, or your bank app, you can renew your subscription right from your phone.
However, if you pay for a new DSTV subscription package before your current one expires, the new package won’t activate until the existing one ends.
- What is the Best DSTV Subscription for me?
DSTV has five subscription packages. The best one for you depends on your viewing preference and your budget. To increase viewing channels and cost, you can choose Yanga, Confam, Compact, Compact Plus, or Premium. Each package includes a list of channels you can access, as well as additional benefits. You can visit the DSTV website to get more information.
- Can I Subscribe to Startimes Using My Phone?
Yes. You can subscribe to Startimes on your phone. With platforms like Cardtonic, you can easily log in, click on cable TV and make payments for your Startimes subscription. Using Cardtonic makes the process fast, easy, and reliable.
- How Much is Startimes Subscription Per Month?
Depending on the package you are opting for, Startimes Subscription prices per Month range from as low as 2000 Naira to 16000 Naira. The subscription package chosen will determine the number of channels you can access.
5. DSTV vs Startimes: Which One Should I Go for?
DSTV offers a variety of entertainment, while Startimes is highly affordable. The final choice depends on your preference and budget.
Conclusion
Paying for your DSTV or Startimes subscription doesn’t have to involve queues or a trip to the nearest outlet. With platforms like Cardtonic, MyDSTV, Startimes ON, your Bank App, and USSD, you can sort your cable TV bills right from your phone—anytime, anywhere.
Each option has its own perks, but if you’re looking for speed, zero charges, extra rewards, and an easy way to pay utility bills online, Cardtonic ticks all the boxes. It’s simple, secure, and built to make your life easier.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Martin Amaewhule, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
At the plenary on Friday, Mr Amaewhule joined the ruling party from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), along with 15 other members of the state parliament.
This development comes some months after they had earlier declared their support for the APC in the wake of a crisis with the state governor, Mr Sim Fubura.
The lawmakers had an issue with Mr Fubura, which led to a state of emergency declared on the oil-rich state by President Bola Tinubu in March 2025.
This embargo was only lift in September 2025 after the duration of the six-month emergency rule in the state.
A few days ago, members of the Rivers Assembly passed a vote of confidence on President Tinubu, backing him to remain in office till 2031, when he would have spent eight years in office if re-elected in 2027.
Announcing their defection today, the lawmakers pinned their decision on the crisis rocking the PDP at the national level.
It is not certain if their political godfather, Mr Nyesom Wike, who is the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), will join them in APC.
Mr Wike, who governed Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, has been accused of instigating the crisis in the opposition PDP. He was expelled from the party last month at a national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has warned that Nigeria risks massive brain drain in the oil and gas sector due to poor remuneration.
The president of PENGASSAN, Mr Festus Osifo, said at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union on Thursday in Abuja that the industry was facing challenges arising from Naira devaluation and inflation, noting that, oil and gas skills remained globally competitive.
Painting an example, he said, “A drilling engineer in Nigeria does the same job as one in the US or Abu Dhabi,” noting that the union must take steps to bridge the wage gap to prevent members from leaving the country for better opportunities abroad.
“If we don’t act, the brain drain seen in other sectors will be child’s play,” he said.
According to him, PENGASSAN has recorded significant gains through collective bargaining across oil and gas branches.
“We signed numerous agreements across government agencies, IOCs, service and marketing sectors,” he said.
He said the agreements brought relief to members facing rising costs of living, adding that, the association’s duty is to protect members’ jobs and enhance their pay.
Mr Osifo urged companies delaying salary reviews and those foot-dragging as a result of the prevailing economic realities, to do the needful.
He said the industry employed some of the nation’s best talents, making competitive pay critical to retaining skilled workers.
“This industry recruits the best. Companies must provide the best conditions,” he said.
On insecurity, Mr Osifo urged government to take decisive action against terrorism and kidnappings across the country.
“We are tired of condemnations. government must expose sponsors and protect citizens,” he said.
He urged government at all levels to prioritise tackling insecurity through better funding and equipment for security agencies.
Mr Osifo said PENGASSAN supported calls for state police to improve local security response, adding that decentralising policing will protect citizens better than rhetoric.
He also said economic indicators meant little, if food prices remained high and farmers could not return to farms due to insecurity.
“Nigerians want to see food on the table, not macroeconomic figures,” he said, urging the government to coordinate fiscal and monetary policies to ensure economic gains reach households.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s crisis-response bill seeking to establish a single, toll-free, three-digit emergency number for nationwide use passed for second reading in the Senate this week.
Sponsored by Mr Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, the proposed legislation aims to replace the country’s chaotic patchwork of emergency lines with a unified code—112—that citizens can dial for police, fire, medical, rescue and other life-threatening situations.
Lawmakers said the reform is urgently needed to address delays, miscommunication and avoidable deaths linked to Nigeria’s fragmented response system amid rising insecurity.
Leading debate, Mr Yar’adua said Nigeria has outgrown the “operational disorder” caused by multiple emergency numbers in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun and other states for ambulance services, police intervention, fire incidents, domestic violence, child abuse and other crises.
He said, “This bill seeks to provide for a nationwide toll-free emergency number that will aid the implementation of a national system of reporting emergencies.
“The presence of multiple emergency numbers in Nigeria has been identified as an impediment to getting accelerated emergency response.”
Mr Yar’adua noted that the reform would bring Nigeria in line with global best practices, citing the United States, United Kingdom and India, countries where a single emergency line has improved coordination, enhanced location tracking and strengthened first responders’ efficiency.
With an estimated 90 per cent of Nigerians owning mobile phones, he said the unified number would significantly widen public access to emergency services.
Under the bill, all calls and text messages would be routed to the nearest public safety answering point or control room.
He urged the Senate to fast-track the bill’s passage, stressing the need for close collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), relevant agencies and telecom operators to ensure nationwide coverage.
Senator Ali Ndume described the reform as “timely and very, very important,” warning that the absence of a reliable reporting channel has worsened Nigeria’s security vulnerabilities.
“One of the challenges we are having during this heightened insecurity is lack of proper or effective communication with the affected agencies,” Ndume said.
“If we do this, we are enhancing and contributing to solving the security challenges and other related criminalities we are facing,” he added.
Also speaking in support, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno said a centralised emergency number would remove barriers to citizen reporting and strengthen public involvement in security management.
He said, “Our security community is always calling on the general public to report what they see.
“There is a need for government to create an avenue where the public can report what they see without any hindrance. The bill would give strength and muscular expression to national calls for vigilance.”
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Communications for further legislative work and is expected to be returned for final consideration within four weeks.
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