The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal on Friday fined Multichoice Nigeria the sum of N150 million for disregarding its order restraining the pay TV company from increasing its monthly subscription pending the determination of the suit brought before it.
Multichoice is the parent company of DStv and GOtv.
The tribunal also ordered the company to provide its Nigerian customers with a one-month free subscription to its DStv and GOtv packages.
In April, the tribunal ordered Multichoice not to increase its subscription fees without proper notice, following a lawsuit filed by a lawyer Festus Onifade.
The lawyer contended that the eight-day notice given for the price increase was inadequate.
Multichoice, on its part, argued that previous rulings had settled price regulation issues.
Onifade insisted the length of notice was inadequate and more pressing than the price hike itself, prompting the tribunal to affirm its jurisdiction and ruling against Multichoice.
The court fixed July 3 for a hearing of the substantive suit of the plaintiff.
