Broadcasting
Ghana Govt, DStv Settlement Sets New Regulatory Precedent in Africa
The recent DStv pricing dispute in Ghana has underscored the volatile intersection of consumer protection, political manoeuvring, and multinational business operations.
According to myjoyonline.com, the saga reached its peak after Sam George, communications minister, demanded a price reduction for subscribers, citing public frustration over high fees.
Pointing to the improved performance of the Ghanaian Cedi, the Minister argued that MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv, was exploiting Ghanaian consumers with prices out of step with regional realities.
The Minister’s position resonated with regional calls for fairer pricing, following similar regulatory confrontations MultiChoice has faced in Nigeria and other major markets.
In July 2025, George proposed a 30% reduction, even threatening to suspend DStv’s broadcasting licence.
MultiChoice initially rejected the demand as “untenable,” warning that forced cuts would undermine service quality and jobs.
The standoff ended with a new arrangement announced on Monday, September 29.
From October 1, DStv subscribers in Ghana would automatically receive upgraded packages at no additional cost.
For example, those on the Pady bouquet (GH¢59) were upgraded to the Access bouquet (GH¢99), gaining 35 more channels.
The move offered subscribers an estimated 33% to 50% more value, depending on their package.
While Minister George described the deal as “more services for less,” MultiChoice later confirmed the agreement and apologised for earlier confusion in its communications.
However, the “unprecedented” offer is structured as a three-month promotional package, sparking criticism that it falls short of the promised 30% price cut.
The sharpest criticism came from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), whose lawmakers dismissed the Minister’s handling of the matter as “arrogant” and ineffective.
Mathew Nyindam, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Communications Committee, accused the Minister of failing to deliver a real price cut and called for his dismissal.
NPP commentators also accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of hypocrisy, pointing to previous periods under Nana Akufo-Addo when DStv tariffs rose with little intervention.
They argued that the Minister’s combative approach was more about scoring political points than securing sustainable consumer relief.
Despite the political disputes, Ghana’s outcome sets a significant precedent in Africa.
MultiChoice has long battled regulators in Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda over price hikes, but none have secured an agreement on this scale.
The Ghana deal, which offers subscribers up to 50% more content for the same price, is described by the Minister as “unmatched anywhere else in Africa.”
Analysts suggest the move will put pressure on other governments to demand similar concessions from dominant multinational service providers, potentially reshaping regulatory expectations in the pay-TV industry across the continent.
DStv’s market dominance rests heavily on its exclusive rights to premium sports, especially the English Premier League.
Yet, competition is intensifying.
Rivals such as StarTimes and GoTV offer cheaper packages, while streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and MultiChoice’s own Showmax present growing alternatives.
The value-upgrade arrangement is seen as a defensive strategy by MultiChoice to maintain revenues without cutting prices outright. By offering additional channels rather than lowering costs, the company protects its core business model while appearing responsive to consumer concerns.
For many Ghanaian families, DStv is both a luxury and a cultural staple, particularly for football.
The new arrangement provides short-term relief.
“This upgrade means I can finally watch more than just the news for the same money I’ve been paying,” said Kojo Mensah, a Kumasi-based technician. But the temporary nature of the promotion leaves questions about long-term affordability.
Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) has established six committees to help strengthen and modernize the country’s broadcasting industry.
The committees will focus on content creation, skills development, digital transformation, sustainability, policy and commercial opportunities
The initiative aims to support industry growth and improve collaboration between broadcasters, regulators and media experts
The official launch recently, was led by Tony Akiotu, president, BON and attended by media professionals, program directors, former journalists and heads of specialized media organizations.
The event brought together several prominent figures in Nigeria’s media industry, including veteran broadcaster and trainer Bimbo Oloyede, Tony Uyah of M4S TV, Kingsley Uranta of Channels Television, Ismael Sani of Platinum TV and Ibrahim Shehu of Trust TV.
Together, they are expected to help drive innovation and support the growth of Nigeria’s broadcasting sector.
According to Akiotu, the committees are intended both to help shape industry policy and to provide a forum for dialogue between BON and broadcasting experts.
Akiotu said the ad hoc committees were intended to strengthen BON’s work and ensure that the umbrella body for Nigeria’s broadcasters played a more direct and meaningful role in developing the country’s broadcasting sector.
The six committees reflect the sector’s main priorities. The first focuses on collaboration and innovation to promote content creation.
The second is dedicated to training and talent development, while the third focuses on industry sustainability by improving the sector’s long-term financial viability.
A fourth committee will focus on digital transformation and work with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on regulatory issues.
The remaining two committees will oversee public policy advocacy and the development of sports and commercial rights to help broadcasters increase revenue and attract more investment. Together, the committees are expected to guide BON’s efforts to modernize and strengthen Nigeria’s broadcasting industry.
The committees, chaired by members of BON’s General Assembly and supported by the organization’s Secretariat, have an initial 12-month mandate that may be renewed if necessary.
They are required to submit a progress report within three months and implement approved recommendations within the following six months.
The arrangement is intended to ensure close oversight and the timely implementation of their work.
Akiotu also reminded committee members that Nigeria pioneered television broadcasting in Africa and urged them to carry out their work with greater effectiveness and efficiency.
Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) says it is investigating about 34 tertiary institutions over allegations that they failed to refund students whose tuition fees were paid twice under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
The Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed this during an interview on Arise Television.
Sawyerr said the agency had deployed a five-member investigative team, including operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and internal auditors, to examine the allegations.
According to him, the investigation was prompted by numerous complaints received from affected students.
“As of right now, there are 34 institutions that we are looking at closely with respect to this issue,” he said.
Sawyerr explained that the double payment issue arose because President Bola Tinubu directed that the student loan scheme commence in the middle of an academic session instead of at the beginning.
He said the decision compelled many students to pay their tuition fees to meet registration deadlines while awaiting approval of their loan applications.
“What happened is that a lot of schools got double payment; some from the students and some from us,” he said.
“The refund process is entirely out of our hands. It is the recipient of the double payments that is obliged to make refunds to the students.”
The NELFUND boss noted that many students had borrowed money from family members, friends and other sources to pay their tuition with the expectation of receiving refunds once the loans were disbursed.
He said while some institutions had promptly refunded affected students, others had failed to do so.
“Some have been very good at this. Others haven’t been so good at it,” Sawyerr said.
“I reserve judgement on the intentionality around it because, for some of them, they just didn’t have the process to make refunds.”
Sawyerr disclosed that NELFUND was exploring a tokenised payment system that would enable students to authorise tuition payments directly to their institutions, thereby reducing the likelihood of duplicate payments.
He said the agency deliberately chose not to disburse tuition loans directly to students to minimise the risk of fund diversion.
“Paying the funds to the students could really lead to the temptation for them to divert and do other things,” he said.
The managing director, however, acknowledged that NELFUND lacked the statutory powers to compel institutions to refund students or prosecute officials found culpable.
He added that many frustrated students had submitted complaints not only to NELFUND but also to anti-corruption agencies, including the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Sawyerr also expressed concern over increases in tuition fees by some institutions following the introduction of the student loan scheme.
He said NELFUND had declined to pay institutions that increased their tuition fees beyond acceptable levels.
“Some schools, because they get paid easily, started to put up their fees. We refused, point blank, to pay institutions who had hiked their fees beyond a certain level,” he said.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to investigating every reported irregularity and strengthening the implementation of the student loan programme through continuous monitoring and internal reviews.
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