From the foregoing explanation, it may not be true then that a pay-as-you-view service model is offered in MultiChoice’s home country South Africa as most Nigerians tend to believe. In fact, in 2022, the Competition and Consumer Protection (CCPC) Tribunal in a suit in Abuja ordered the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to probe and verify, within six months, if MultiChoice is truly adopting pay-as-you-view TV subscription in South Africa and other countries. Almost three years later, there has been no reported evidence that MultiChoice offers any pay-per-view subscription anywhere.

Indeed, the Pay TV service industry has today become a major conundrum for MultiChoice Nigeria and it must find feasible ways to stop losing customers who are hard pressed by spiraling costs of living and are also enticed by cheaper alternative channels of digital entertainment. It is also obvious that the problem Nigerians have with MultiChoice is not the prices of DStv or GOtv decoders but inflexible bouquet subscriptions and recycled content.

Thus, offering a new promotional offer of reduction in decoder costs and bouquet upgrade for less won’t stop MultiChoice from losing its more customers.

With the economy biting harder than ever, Nigerians contend with many survival pressures such as feeding, house rent, transportation, school fees, and more. Entertainment is only an indulgence to relieve boredom or stress, but basic human survival comes first. So, subscribing to DStv and GOtv is a dispensable pastime for many. That is why, as MultiChoice gets costlier with its services, Nigerians are abandoning DStv/GOtv subscriptions in favour of cheap alternative outlets of entertainment on their mobile devices. Flexible streaming platforms like Netflix are also giving MultiChoice a run for its money.

Interestingly, the global Pay TV market size was said to be worth USD 188.96 billion in 2023 and is predicted to reach USD 221.88 billion towards the end of 2032. This is indeed a massive entertainment industry in which only smart, customer-friendly players can survive and thrive. Amidst allegations of monopoly against MultiChoice in Nigeria, other competitors have come and fallen by the way side.

HiTV, TSTV and others are no more. Startimes is just a peripheral player. Lately, one Silver Lake TV was also launched in Abuja, with the support of the Federal Government, to offer “affordable, quality” Pay TV services. While Nigerians continue to wait to see if there will be any new dawn of truly affordable, flexible Pay TV, something must give if pay-as-you-go model remains unattainable.

Can MultiChoice offer more granular packages? That is, instead of a few broad bouquets, MultiChoice could introduce more a-la-carte or mini-bouquet options. This might allow subscribers to build a package of channels they are genuinely interested in (e.g., a ‘Sports’ mini-bouquet, a ‘Movies’ mini-bouquet, a ‘Local Content’ mini-bouquet) in addition to a base package. Also, MultiChoice already offers weekly and daily subscriptions on some platforms (like GOtv). Expanding these options across all platforms and making them more prominent may give subscribers the flexibility they desire without altering the underlying technology. This allows users to “top-up” their subscription for a few days to watch a specific event or series.

In terms of value-added services and innovation, MultiChoice should actively promote and expand its pay-per-view (PPV) and video-on-demand (VOD) services like DStv BoxOffice and Showmax. This provides a genuine “pay-per-use” option for specific content and could serve as a valuable alternative for subscribers who only want to watch certain events or movies.

Even more, partnering with internet service providers to offer bundles of satellite TV and internet could address the issue of power outages and provide a more robust service. Subscribers could access a streaming version of their content with a stable internet connection during power cuts.

Still, while a full pay-as-you-go is not possible at the moment, MultiChoice could explore a ‘pause’ feature for subscriptions. For instance, a subscriber could pause their subscription for a fixed period (e.g., 7 days) once every 3 or 6 months. This would not be a perfect solution but would offer some flexibility for those who are away or unable to watch for a short time.

In all, the Nigerian government and regulatory bodies like the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) should be able to work with MultiChoice and consumer groups to find a middle ground. Instead of mandating a technically impossible model, they should focus on discouraging monopoly by promoting a competitive market and ensuring fair pricing. Regulators should also ensure that MultiChoice’s price adjustments are transparent and that subscribers are given adequate notice.

They should also investigate any claims of unfair practices or abuse of market dominance. The recent court rulings, affirming that price regulation is not within the FCCPC’s purview but that of the President, highlight the need for a clear regulatory framework.
Concluded.
Onifade, a Marketing Communication Practitioner and Public Affairs Analyst, wrote from Lagos.