Broadcasting
FREETV Complies with NBC Directives, Gives Unrestricted Access to Subscribers
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) said that FREETV has announced unrestricted access for customers during this lockdown to curb the spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic, according to Ekanem Antia, assistant director, Public Affairs, NBC.
Antia in a statement said that “In compliance with the directives of the Commission for Pay TV to decrypt signals of local channels on their platforms for one month, in the first instance, to enable viewers get adequate information and directives through this period of the COVID-19 Pandemic, FREETV has announced unrestricted access for customers during this lockdown”
Recall that the NBC has earlier ordered GOTv, DSTV, NTA Startimes, FreeTv Platform, and others, to allow neighborhood stations on their bundle pursue even endorsers have depleted their membership.
This is in an attempt to support Nigerians have the privilege of the daily update on the 2019 novel coronavirus.
This is even as the NBC ordered supporters in the nation to designate 10 percent of its everyday broadcast appointment to the open edification of Nigerians on COVID-19.
In an announcement gave in Abuja and made accessible, NBC said the decoding is to keep going for one month in the principal occurrence while including that further orders will be given by the commission after itemized appraisals of consequent improvement.
“The National Broadcasting Commission approaches all Pay Subscription Broadcasters (GOTv, DSTV, NTA Startimes, FreeTv Platform, and so on) in Nigeria to decode every single neighborhood channel on their bunch to empower supporters of their administrations in Nigeria access, without blocks, day by day reports and mandates on the coronavirus pandemic.
“The unscrambling is to keep going for one month, in the main occurrence. Further mandates on this will be given by the commission after definite evaluations of ensuing improvement,” the NBC said.
The NBC further reviewed its previous solicitation that communicate stations guarantee convenient fundamental data and updates on COVID-19.
It included that every day communicate observing reports so far showed that communicate stations the nation over have been giving point by point reportage on the battle for mindfulness on the 2019 novel coronavirus.
The NBC anyway said it noted with alarm that a couple of supporters broadcast unverified news and names of people purportedly tainted by the infection without required proficient validation.
“Telecasters are additionally ordered to allocate, at any rate, 10 percent of their everyday broadcast appointment to open edification on the infection, in accordance with national intrigue and social obligation, as revered in the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
“The commission recognizes telecasters that have stayed ardent and shown polished methodology this period,” the administration of NBC included.
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will, on Oct. 7, arraigned the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Qatar Airways, Mr Temi Birdzell, alongside the company and its top officers, over allegations bordering on breach of FCCPC Act, 2018.
The defendants will be arraigned before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Others to be arraigned with Birdzell are Stella Ihediwa, the Account Manager of the airline; Kennedy Chirchir, the Country Manager and Eva Ojeje, who is the Sales Manager of the company.
Although the arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, the matter could not proceed.
Upon resumed hearing, none of the defendants was in court.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, none of the defendants was in court due to improper service of the court documents, including the hearing notice, on them.
FCCPC.’s lawyer, Chizenum Nsitem, told the court of their inability to serve four of the defendants, although the company was served.
Nsitem then sought an adjournment to enable them do the needful and the judge adjourned the matter until Oct. 7 for the defendants to take their plea.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/200/2025, dragged Qatar Airways, Birdzell, Ihediwa, Chirchir and Ojeje to court as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
FCCPC, in the application dated May 26 but filed May 27, had preferred a two-count charge against the defendants.
The defendants were alleged to have failed to appear before FCCPC in compliance with a lawful summons of the commission dated Sept. 6, 2024, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33 (3) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCPC) Act, 2018.
They were also accused to have on Sept. 18, 2024, intentionally withheld the production of documents in compliance wth a lawful summons of the commission, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 111 of FCCP Act, 2018.
In count three, they were alleged to have on Sept. 18, 2024, engaged in the contravention of the consumer rights, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 124(1) and punishable under Section 155 of the same Act.
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is set to arraign John Ugbe, chief executive officer, MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and other executives of the firm for impeding its investigation and failing to comply with lawful summons.
This is according to a charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CR/197/2025, filed by the FCCPC legal team led by Barrister Nsitem Chizenum.
This follows a May 8, 2025 ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja which dismissed MultiChoice Nigeria Limited’s suit seeking to uphold its DStv and GOtv price increases in Nigeria.
In the charge sheet, where John Ugbe, Gozie Onumonu, Adewunmi Ogunsanya, and five others were named as defendants, MultiChoice Nigeria Limited was accused of failing without sufficient cause to appear before the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission on 6th March, 2025, in compliance with summons dated 25th February, 2025.
The Commission described the development as an offence against the FCCPC Act.
The Commission alleged that Adewunmi Ogunsanya, John Ugbe, and others, “being Directors of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited on or about the 6th day of March, 2025, at 23 Jimmy Carter Street, Asokoro, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Court, caused the aforesaid MultiChoice Nigeria Limited to fail to produce documents which the Company was required to produce, in compliance with a lawful summons issued and dated 25 February, 2025, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3 of the FCCPC Act 2018″.
The CEO and the Pay TV directors were further alleged to have caused MultiChoice Nigeria Limited to impede the investigation of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission by refusing to produce documents.
When the court resumed sitting on Tuesday, the FCCPC lawyer informed Justice James Omotosho that aside from MultiChoice, the defendants are yet to be personally served with the charge.
In view of that, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to October 7, 2025 for arraignment.
Recall that Justice Omotoso had dismissed a suit filed by MultiChoice Nigeria against the FCCPC.
DStv subscribers across Nigeria are set to benefit from a new campaign that promises more value and greater access to entertainment. MultiChoice Nigeria has launched the “We’ve Got You” promo, running from June 16 to July 31, 2025, which offers customers a free upgrade to the next DStv package tier when they pay their current subscription in full.
This comes just as DStv recently announced a reduction in the price of DStv decoders, which will now go for N10,000 instead of the previous N19,999.
The initiative comes as DStv responds to the noticeable economic impact to the everyday lives of Nigerians. By repositioning itself as a platform for daily value, DStv aims to encourage content discovery across a wider array of genres, including movies, drama, kids’ programming, and news.
The “We’ve Got You” offer is designed to reward loyal customers and attract new ones by making premium content more accessible. According to official statements, the upgrade is automatic for all active and returning subscribers who renew their subscriptions during the promo period. This means more channels, more shows, and more reasons to tune in every day.
MultiChoice Nigeria’s CEO, John Ugbe, emphasised the company’s commitment to rewarding customer loyalty and providing enhanced value:
“We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day. The ‘We Got You’ campaign is about making premium content more accessible and showing that DStv offers something for everyone, not just football fans.”
The campaign is expected to drive renewed interest in DStv’s offerings, retain existing subscribers, and attract new users seeking affordable access to a broad range of entertainment options.
SEC Advocates for Advanced Financial Inclusion by 2030
NFIU Credits AML/CFT Reforms behind Nigeria’s Nears Exit from FATF Greylist
Keystone Bank, Enterprise Devt Centre Sign MoU To Empower SMEs ln Nigeria
AfCFTA Positions Africa to Tap into $712bn Digital Trade Market by 2035
Qatar Airways Top Brass Face Court Action in Nigeria Over FCCPC Charges
Telecom2 days agoLebara, New Operator Enters Nigerian Telecom Arena, Sells Minutes, Not Airtime
E-Business2 days agoOver 7m Streaming Accounts’ Credentials were Leaked in 2024 – Report
General News1 day agoOpenAI Unveils New AI Agent for Software Developers
E-Financial2 days agoFidelity Bank Uplifts Old People’s Home with Essential Items Donation
E-Financial2 days agoS&P Global Ratings Downgrades Ecobank Nigeria’s Credit Rating to CCC-, Outlook Negative
Telecom2 days agoPIN Pushes for Equitable Digital Governance at World Internet Forum
Telecom1 day ago15 African Startups Using AI Selected for Google Accelerator Cohort 9
E-Financial2 days agoEFCC Drags Cititrust to Court over Unreported ₦200mTransfers