The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has announced plans to formally arraign MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, its Chief Executive Officer John Ugbe, and several top directors of the company over allegations of obstructing a lawful investigation and failing to comply with regulatory summons issued earlier this year.
This decision comes amid an ongoing probe into the company’s practices surrounding repeated price hikes for its DStv and GOtv platforms, which have drawn widespread consumer complaints and regulatory attention. The Commission accuses the defendants of deliberately refusing to appear before the investigative panel as instructed in a summons served on February 25, 2025.
Court filings marked FHC/ABJ/CR/197/2025 and submitted by the FCCPC’s legal representative, Nsitem Chizenum Esq., named John Ugbe, Gozie Onumonu, and Adewunmi Ogunsanya among those charged with failing to honour the summons scheduled for March 6, 2025, without offering any justifiable explanation.
The FCCPC contends that the failure to comply constitutes a violation of Section 3 of the FCCPC Act, 2018, which prohibits obstruction of regulatory authorities and mandates full cooperation with lawful investigative procedures. In addition to their absence, the defendants are also accused of refusing to provide requested documentation critical to the probe.
This latest move comes after the Federal High Court in Abuja, on May 8, 2025, dismissed a lawsuit filed by MultiChoice seeking to challenge the FCCPC’s authority to investigate its business practices, particularly the controversial subscription fee increases. Justice James Omotosho ruled that the lawsuit amounted to an abuse of judicial process, thereby clearing the way for the FCCPC to continue its enforcement actions.
During a recent court hearing, the Commission’s counsel notified Justice Omotosho that while MultiChoice Nigeria as a company had been duly served, some of the individual defendants had not yet received personal service of the charges. As a result, the judge postponed the case until October 7, 2025, to allow time for proper service and to proceed with the arraignment of the accused individuals.
Background of FCCPC and MultiChoice’s legal battle
The dispute between MultiChoice and the FCCPC dates back to earlier this year when the regulatory body summoned the company’s CEO for questioning regarding increasing public dissatisfaction over its billing practices. Specifically, the FCCPC raised concerns about potential abuse of market dominance, arbitrary pricing adjustments, and anti-competitive behaviour within Nigeria’s pay-TV market.
MultiChoice responded by filing a legal challenge through its legal counsel, headed by Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), a former Lagos State Attorney General. The company alleged that the FCCPC’s actions violated its right to fair hearing and sought judicial relief from the Commission’s planned sanctions.
However, the court dismissed this challenge, thereby reaffirming the FCCPC’s authority to oversee and enforce consumer rights regulations in the country. With the case now advancing to criminal arraignment, regulatory scrutiny of MultiChoice’s operations has intensified, signaling the Commission’s intent to hold the company fully accountable under Nigerian consumer protection laws.
Observers believe the outcome of this case could set a significant precedent for corporate governance, transparency, and consumer rights enforcement within the Nigerian media and telecommunications sectors.