Tribunal Orders Alternative Service of Directive on MultiChoice to Halt DStv, GOtv Tariff Increase

The tribunal, led by Saratu Shafii, made this decision after representatives of the pay-TV company in Abuja allegedly refused to accept official court documents related to the case.

The applicant, Festus Onifade, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), explaining that the CCPT bailiff reported an incident where a top manager at Multi-Choice’s Abuja office instructed that the documents should instead be directed to their Lagos headquarters. Given these allegations, the tribunal proceeded under Section 48 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA), 2018 and Part N, Order 14 Rule 11(1) of the CCPT Rule, 2021 to issue an order of substituted service.

Under the terms of the substituted service, Saratu Shafii directed that the court’s ex-parte order in the suit numbered CCPT/OP/2/2024 should be publicly posted at either the corporate headquarters or any branch addresses of Multi-Choice Nigeria Limited across the country. Additionally, the order stipulated that the documents should be sent to the company’s known email address, social media handles, and any publicly known means of communication for Multi-Choice, as well as being displayed at the CCPT communication outlet. Following these instructions, the documents were promptly posted at the Multi-Choice office located in Wuse II, Abuja.

The move came after the tribunal had restrained Multi-Choice from adjusting its pricing for the upcoming period starting May 1. This interim order was initially issued on Monday when Ejiro Awaritoma, the counsel for Festus Onifade, moved an ex-parte motion.

During the ruling, Saratu Shafii mandated Multi-Choice to suspend any planned tariff increases, pending the resolution of a motion on notice. All involved parties have been directed to attend a tribunal hearing scheduled for May 7 at 10 a.m. to discuss the motion further.

Festus Onifade, who is also a legal practitioner, had filed the lawsuit on April 29 against Multi-Choice Nigeria Ltd and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). Onifade is seeking two specific court orders: firstly, an interim injunction to prevent Multi-Choice from proceeding with the planned price hike set for May 1, and secondly, an order restraining the company from any actions that might negatively impact the rights of the claimant and other consumers, pending the outcome of the motion on notice.

This legal action follows a previous price increase by Multi-Choice on April 1, 2022, which affected all of its packages. The decision to challenge the impending hike reflects broader concerns about consumer rights and the regulatory oversight of pricing practices in the pay-TV industry.