MultiChoice Nigeria, the renowned operator of DStv and GOtv pay television services, has unveiled a significant strategic initiative, slashing the price of its DStv decoder by 50 percent, from ₦20,000 to ₦10,000. This substantial price reduction is a cornerstone of its new consumer-focused campaign, aptly titled “We’ve Got You,” which began on June 16 and is scheduled to conclude on July 31. The campaign's primary objectives are to reinvigorate subscriber growth, attract new customers, and encourage the return of past subscribers, directly addressing the decline in subscriptions the company has experienced.

Beyond the immediate appeal of a cheaper decoder, the “We’ve Got You” campaign offers additional incentives, including a free subscription upgrade for both active and returning customers. John Ugbe, the Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, articulated that this initiative is a testament to the company’s deep commitment to customer satisfaction and its ongoing efforts to enrich the daily entertainment experience for Nigerian households. He further clarified that the campaign is designed to alleviate economic pressures on consumers while simultaneously enhancing access to a diverse range of digital television services. A key aspect of the campaign is the strategic repositioning of DStv as a comprehensive entertainment hub, aiming to broaden content discovery across various genres such as movies, drama, kids' programming, and news, thereby transcending its reputation solely as a platform for sports enthusiasts.

This customer-centric approach by MultiChoice Nigeria emerges amidst a contentious and ongoing legal battle with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) concerning recent subscription price increases. Widespread public indignation and subsequent regulatory scrutiny followed MultiChoice’s announcement on February 24, which detailed new subscription rates for DStv and GOtv packages, effective from March 1. These adjustments led to considerable price hikes across the board: DStv Compact climbed from ₦15,700 to ₦19,000; Compact Plus increased from ₦25,000 to ₦30,000; DStv Premium soared from ₦37,000 to ₦44,500; and GOtv Supa Plus saw an increase from ₦15,700 to ₦16,800.

In response to the public outcry, the FCCPC promptly intervened, summoning MultiChoice Nigeria’s CEO for an investigative hearing on February 27. Despite this regulatory action, MultiChoice proceeded with the implementation of the new pricing structure and subsequently filed a lawsuit on March 3, seeking to uphold its pricing decisions. However, on May 8, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed MultiChoice’s suit, characterizing it as an abuse of court process. This ruling marked a significant victory for the FCCPC in its efforts to challenge the arbitrary nature of the price increases.

The backdrop to these recent developments includes a discernible pattern of multiple price adjustments by MultiChoice Nigeria. The company had notably increased its DStv and GOtv bouquet prices three times within a 12-month period, including revisions in April 2023, November 2023, and the latest contested hike that was announced in February 2024. These successive price increases have reportedly contributed to a substantial reduction in MultiChoice’s subscriber base, with estimates indicating a loss of 1.4 million subscribers between March 2023 and March 2025. Through the introduction of the “We’ve Got You” campaign and the notable decoder price slash, MultiChoice appears to be actively seeking to improve public sentiment, reassert its market presence, and rejuvenate its customer relationships within Nigeria's increasingly competitive and price-sensitive pay-TV sector.