Metrodigital Hails FG As Court Orders DStv To Share Channels With Other Operators
PAY television company, Metrodigital Limited, has commended the Federal Government for ending the monopoly of broadcast rights by major pay-TV operators in Nigeria.
The company’s Managing Director, Ifeanyi Nwafor, gave the commendation during a news conference in Port Harcourt, describing the move as a major victory for fair competition and consumer protection in the country’s broadcasting industry.
Government Move to End Monopoly Praised
According to Nwafor, the government’s decision to outlaw exclusive control of television content will open up the industry, reduce subscription costs, and create more jobs for Nigerians.
“In the past, the broadcasting market was closed because premium content was acquired exclusively,” he said.
“This made it difficult for smaller cable TV companies to survive, as bouquets without premium content were unattractive to viewers.”
He explained that global news channels such as CNN, and premium sporting events like the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League, were often acquired exclusively by one or two operators, shutting out local competitors.
Impact of Monopoly on Local Operators
Nwafor lamented that the dominance of a few players forced several indigenous pay-TV companies — including DaarSat, Trend TV, Consat, and FSTV — to shut down due to unfair market conditions.
He noted that while the United States, with over 350 million people, boasts more than 400 pay-TV companies, Nigeria — with a population of about 200 million — has only one or two major operators.
“This situation made Nigeria the highest pay-TV subscription market in the world, as smaller operators were stifled out of existence,” he said.
Court Victory for Metrodigital
The Metrodigital boss said the Federal Government’s anti-monopoly policy was reflected in Sections 6 and 9 of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, which compel content owners to sublicense to other operators at commercially reasonable rates.
Following the new regulation, Metrodigital reportedly applied to Multichoice Nigeria, owners of DStv, to sublicense certain channels, but the request was denied.
Nwafor said the company then petitioned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), but when the matter was not resolved, it approached the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.
“Although we initially lost at the lower court, the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, on June 13, ruled in our favour and set aside the earlier judgment,” he said.
“The court also ordered NBC to commence dispute resolution within 21 days, as provided by the broadcasting code.”
Appreciation to Government
Nwafor expressed appreciation to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for his commitment to ending monopoly in Nigeria’s broadcast sector.
He said the government’s intervention and the court’s judgment will make the pay-TV market more competitive and affordable for Nigerian subscribers.
