Few days ago , Multichoice Nigeria operators of paytv platform increased its tariffs on it’s DStv and GOtv platforms
This is coming months after the company also increased its prices across different bouquets
As usual, Nigerians are raising hell , they’ve condemned the price which they termed insensitive to average consumers of the product
As much as we try to condemn the price increases but we cannot wish away the basic fundamentals that force this incessant price increases
The first is the fact that Multichoice have stated time and time again that with the dwindling value of the Naira against the dollar , the price to acquire contents also have gone up
None of the equipment used by dstv including the decoders are manufactured in Nigeria
Second to this is cost of operation especially energy
How much is electricity tariff currently, the electricity companies continue to increase their prices every day , we’ve said it time and time again that these price increases will be passed on the consumers
Still on energy , the price of diesel and petrol continue to rise on a daily basis
Petrol that was less that N200 two years ago is now about N1000 per litre
The telecom companies recently vowed to raise its tariffs by a whopping 100% ( though they’ve not increased prices in the last one decade)
The government after listening to their arguments approved a 50% increase
Every other commodities in Nigeria have also suffered same increment, food items , transportation and even airlines
The incessant tax increases by government is another factor that is pushing the price increase
It is therefore not a surprise that pay TV companies have no other choice than to also up their prices in order to remain in business
To solve some of these increases ,some of us have advocated for more Nigerian companies to go into the business but how many of them have survived
We had CTL , TStv , the one promoted by my schoolmate Toyin Subair that folded up after broadcasting the English Premiership for one year
Just as I told a friend a few days back , I have learnt how to survive the DStv increases , whenever there is an increase , I move go the next lower level inorder to continue to enjoy their contents
If I dropped dstv or Gotv , what other alternatives do I have
I know there have been this argument for PAY PER VIEW bouquet but Multichoice have told us this is not tenable
To keep these prices at bare , government should device other means of subsidising these companies providing services to the benefit of Nigerians
Until we do that, I am sorry to say , we’ll continue to go round this circle, over and over again
Chris Kehinde Nwandu was the former AGM Marketing And Public Relations, CTL Ltd ( Cable TV Service Provider )
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