Multichoice, operators of Dstv pay-tv has raised its monthly premium package price from N16, 200 to N18,400 from September 1, this year. This is N2, 200 increase. Other higher packages were also affected. Compact plus subscribers will now pay N12,400 from N10,925 while Compact bouquet subscribers will pay N7,900 from N6,975.
A Short message service, SMS to its subscribers, the pay-tv operator said “Dear Customer, please be advised of a price adjustment on your Dstv Premium package from September 1. Your new monthly subscription will be N18,400”.
Other lower bouquet packages were not affected in the price increase, perhaps in consideration of the economic situation which industry experts say is affecting the lower people more.
Reacting to this increase, Chibuzo Kelechi, an electrical engineer said the increase which is coming at this time will force some subscribers to downgrade to lower packages.
Another commentator who does not want his name mentioned agreed that the Covid -19 has affected all businesses but said the Dstv price increase at this time of Covid-19 will put more pressures on subscribers who are managing to sustain themselves.
The increase is coming a month after it implemented the Federal Government increase of 2.5 percent in VAT which saw the prices of Dstv packages go up by various rates.
The VAT implementation from August 1, 2020 which raised dust among subscribers saw premium subscribers on Dstv paying N16,200 against N15,800 previously.
Compact Plus subscribers paid N10,925 against N10,650. Similarly, Compact bouquet price was adjusted from N6,800 to N6,975. Subscribers on Confam bouquet paid N4,615 against N4,500 while Yanga subscribers paid N2,565 against N2,500.
Subscribers on Max on Gotv paid N3,280 from N3,200 while Jolli and Jinja subscribers paid N2,460 and N16,640 respectively.
Multichoice explained then that the increase in fees was in line with the legislation of the Federal Government which increased VAT in January 2020, with implementation effective 1 February 2020.
“In order to provide some relief for customers, Multichoice Nigeria has absorbed the cost of increase in VAT for the past four months, keeping its products and services at the old 5 percent VAT, however, this is no longer possible and the mandated 7.5 percent VAT will be applied accordingly”.
