DStv Slashes Decoder Price to ₦10,000 in New Customer Push

MultiChoice Nigeria has announced a 50 percent reduction in the price of its DStv decoder, cutting the cost from ₦20,000 to ₦10,000 in a move aimed at winning back customers amid falling subscription numbers.

The announcement, made on Tuesday, comes under the company’s new customer-focused campaign titled “We’ve Got You,” which launched on June 16 and will run until July 31.

According to MultiChoice, the initiative is designed to ease economic pressure on households and expand access to digital TV services. It also includes a free upgrade offer for both active and returning subscribers.

“We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day,” said John Ugbe, CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria.

“The ‘We’ve Got You’ campaign is about making premium content more accessible and showing that DStv offers something for everyone, not just football fans.”

Ugbe added that the platform is repositioning itself as a destination for daily value across multiple genres — including movies, drama, kids’ shows, and news — beyond its traditional sports-heavy image.

This price cut follows public criticism over a recent subscription hike of up to 25 percent, which saw DStv Premium jump from ₦37,000 to ₦44,500, and Compact Plus from ₦25,000 to ₦30,000. GOtv and other packages were also affected.

The price increase, announced in February and implemented on March 1, sparked backlash and prompted the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to summon the company’s CEO for an investigative hearing.

Despite the FCCPC’s intervention, MultiChoice proceeded with the hike and later filed a suit against the regulatory move. On May 8, a court dismissed MultiChoice’s case, describing it as an abuse of court process.

Now, the decoder price slash and loyalty-focused campaign appear to be part of the company’s effort to repair customer relations, stem subscriber losses, and reposition its brand in a highly competitive and economically strained market.