Broadcasting
NANS Gives MultiChoice 7-Day Ultimatum to Reduce Prices of GOtv, DStv Subscriptions
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone D (South West) has given a 7-day ultimatum to MultiChoice Nigeria Limited to reverse the prices of its DStv and GOtv packages or risk having all its offices in the region sealed.
The company on March 22 in a statement, announced the increase in its subscription rates, blaming it on the rising inflation and cost of business operations.
It said the new rates would take effect from April 1.
Reacting, John Alao, NANS South-West deputy co-ordinator, and Opeoluwa Awoyinfa, public relations officer (PRO), in a statement urged President Muhammadu Buhari to compel MultiChoice Nigeria to adopt the pay-as-you-view billing system.
The student leaders described the activities of the company as exploitative.
“We hereby give 7 days’ ultimatum to MultiChoice Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) to reverse their plan of increasing their tariffs and also yield to the call of Nigerians and also implementing PAY AS YOU VIEW tariffs or else we shall be left with no other option but to lock up all offices of DSTV until our demands are meant which is the mind of all Nigerians,” a statement by NANS said.
“The Leadership of National Association of Nigerian Students Southwest (Zone D) has taken it upon themselves to influence governmental or private organisations decision and policies at the federal, state and local government Level that may add hardship to Nigerians to what they are presently experiencing,” Awoyinfa was quoted in the statement as saying.
“We are at a time when Nigerians has lost hope and does not know what’s next on the radar.
“Today; we are aware that MultiChoice Digital Satellite has increased their tariffs without considering the standard of living of Nigerians. We have also waited for long to see if this same company will dance to the music of Nigerians who have been clamouring for PAY AS YOU VIEW TARIFF but the reverse is the case.
“This is the time to call on the National Broadcasting Commission to go back to the commission act to regulate the ownership, activities and operations of Direct Broadcast Satellite Service Providers.
“DSTV is one of the leading direct to home service providers in Nigeria since its inception of operation far back 1995 and has also made a lot of profit with over 25 million subscribers which is the largest market for its operations. We want the Federal Government to stampede their proposed plan in tariffs increment and also force them to implement the PAY AS YOU VIEW system.
“It’s obvious that users are being placed on a fixed monthly tariff plan unlike what is obtainable outside Nigeria. The record shows that Nigeria constitutes over 45 percent of DSTV’s global market share; yet over 50 percent of users are not enjoying what they are paying for due to a series of engagements just to make a living and also due to lack of constant power supply.
“We are aware that DSTV operates a system of PAY AS YOU GO tariffs in other countries but chose to be inhumane and has a hatred for Nigerians. As the Leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students in Southwest; we see this to be unfair and sardonic and also an act to keep exploiting Nigerians.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria should as a matter of concern enact a law to compel MultiChoice to introduce PAY AS YOU VIEW billing system which will do nothing but good to Nigerians who are already fed up with the current economy imbroglio. Nigerians are tired of paying for services they did not use.”
Also speaking, the Deputy Coordinator said, “For so long, MultiChoice Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) has ignored complaints by Nigeria user’s and Nigeria Communication Commission have not been showing concern through the Minister for Communication.
“We are ready to take the bull by the horns as Nigerians will not welcome any increment in tariff but the Implementation of PAY AS YOU VIEW tariff by MultiChoice Digital Satellite Television (DSTV).
“We will never allow any policy or decision by any government, private organisations or person that may want to add to the present hardship and hunger already unleashed on Nigerians.
“We also urge and advise the Federal Government of Nigeria through his excellency President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Communications (and Digital Economy) to break the sporting right of MultiChoice as they have done more harm than good to Nigerians. An alternative to this service provider should be made available in the country so that Nigerians can stop being exploited on a daily basis.”
In today’s rapidly evolving tech world, a hit product can really lift a company. But as businesses get bigger, they often end up with many different products and features. The challenge? Making sure all these pieces work together to help the company succeed in the long run. It’s like walking a tightrope, balancing what each product needs with the company’s overall goals. It goes way beyond just planning one product’s future.
Reuben Nkemjika Obasi
Here’s Reuben Nkemjika Obasi, a senior product manager who’s great at organizing product strategies on a large scale. Many product managers are good at guiding a single product from start to finish. Reuben, though, is skilled in running a whole group of products and features.
He brings the smart thinking needed to handle this mess, making sure every product, every feature, and every investment lines up with the company’s main business aims. He helps build a strong, unified product system.
One thing Reuben deals with daily is the push and pull between quick wins and long-term goals.
It’s a key tension in product management: hitting short-term targets like quarterly revenue while also developing the core products that will fuel growth later on. Reuben uses his knowledge of market trends and user habits to set up a way to prioritize things that allow for both. He makes sure a product’s plan includes features for immediate results and bigger projects that create a lasting foundation.
This balance is clear in how he handles several products. He knows each product in a group has a different job and is at a different point in its life. He uses his skills to sort products, like Google had to do with Google Meet, Google Duo, and Hangouts.
By figuring out which products are driving growth, which are making money, and which are old systems, he can adjust his strategy for each one. That way, they all get the right focus and resources.
Deciding where to put resources is super important. At big companies, there’s never enough people in engineering, design, and marketing.
Reuben has to make tough calls about where to invest those resources to get the most out of them. He uses information to judge plans across the board, balancing the possible impact of adding one new thing to an old product with the work needed to update a product that’s growing fast.
His choices are a careful mix of market numbers, limited resources, and what the company wants to achieve in the long run.
One of the hardest but most important things in product portfolio management is knowing when to retire a product. Markets change fast, and sometimes a product has just run its course. Google has faced this many times with its messaging tools.
Reuben is skilled at guiding this process, and he knows it calls for both understanding and clear thinking. He makes a plan to end a product responsibly, giving users a simple way to move to a newer, better product, keeping problems to a minimum and keeping users happy.
It’s not just about turning a product off, it’s about handling the change smoothly. Reuben manages a careful plan for talking to users, giving them clear instructions and help, and making sure their information and experiences are saved as much as possible. This planned goodbye keeps users from getting annoyed and lets the company focus its work and resources on its most products, like when Google focused on Meet.
Ultimately, Reuben Nkemjika Obasi helps turn a bunch of separate products into a product system that is connected and strong. He’s a leader who thinks ahead and uses data to make smart choices that push a company forward. His skills in product portfolio management ensure a company’s product investments aren’t just quick reactions but a thought-out plan for growth and success over time.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have filed a lawsuit against Umar Bago, Niger State Governor, and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over what they described as “the ongoing intimidation” of Badeggi FM Radio, Minna, and the threat to shut down the station.
This was contained in a statement on Sunday by Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director, SERAP, accusing NBC of failing to stand in defence of the local station.
PUNCH Online had reported that Bago ordered the closure and the revocation of the licence of Badeggi Radio 90.1 FM in Minna over alleged public incitement.
However, in suit number FHC/L/CS/1587/2025, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP and NGE are seeking to determine “whether by Section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and section 2(1)(t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the legal duty to protect Badeggi FM from the ongoing intimidation from the governor.”
They are also seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Niger state governor and NBC from further harassing, intimidating and/or threatening to shut down Badeggi FM radio, revoke its licence and profile the station’s owner.”
The groups argued, “The ongoing intimidation and threat by Mr Bago to strip Badeggi FM station of its licence, further threat to demolish the station’s premises and profile its owner is unlawful and a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.”
They described allegations of inciting violence against the station and its owner as “vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated and apparently made to silence the radio station.”
The suit, filed on behalf of SERAP and NGE by lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part, “The media plays an essential role as a vehicle or instrument for the exercise of freedom of expression and information – in its individual and collective aspects – in a democratic society.
“Intimidating, harassing and silencing critical or dissenting voices under the guise of vague and unsubstantiated national security concerns is a fundamental breach of the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
“The ongoing intimidation and harassment of Badeggi FM and its owner is capable of discouraging participation of the press in debates over matters of legitimate public concern ahead of the 2027 general elections.”
SERAP and NGE are therefore asking the court for the following reliefs, “A declaration that by the combined provisions of Section 22 Nigerian Constitution and section 2(1)(t) of the National Broadcasting Act, the NBC is obligated by law to protect Badeggi FM station and other broadcasting outlets in Nigeria from undue interference from unauthorised persons or entity.
“A declaration that the failure and/or neglect of the NBC to protect and defend the independence of the radio station against arbitrary executive interference constitutes a breach of its statutory duty to ensure fair, independent, and lawful broadcasting practices in Nigeria.
“A declaration that the ongoing intimidation and threat issued by Mr Bago to strip Badeggi FM station of its operational licence and further threat to demolish the station’s premises is unlawful and a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.
“A declaration that the threat issued by the Bago to strip Badeggi FM radio station of its operational licence encroaches upon the statutory powers of the NBC as provided for under section 2 of the National Broadcasting Commission Act.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the governor and NBC, its agents and privies from harassing, intimidating and/or threatening to revoke the operating licence of Badeggi FM station or any other broadcasting outlet in Niger State.”
It was said that no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
Spotify has named Ghanaian trailblazer Amaarae as the EQUAL Africa artist for August, spotlighting her as one of the continent’s artists who continues to push creative and cultural boundaries with every beat, lyric, and look.
Amaarae, born Ama Serwah Genfi, raised between Ghana and the U.S.A often pulls her musical inspiration from the cultures and genres she grew up with. She has consistently pushed the boundaries of sound and identity, with her unique fusion of alternative, pop, R&B, and Afrobeats cementing her place as a singular voice in modern music.
Her musical journey took a turn in a computer lab in Ghana in 2009, where she taught herself to make beats on a cracked version of FL Studio. That moment sparked the fire for a career that would go on to produce game-changing projects like “The Angel You Don’t Know” and global hits such as “SAD GIRLZ LUV MONEY”.
Amaarae’s inclusion on Spotify’s Global Impact List for the first half of the year, highlighting the most-exported Ghanaian songs, was no surprise. She has become a symbol of how African music is travelling further, faster, and louder than ever before.
With her latest album BLACK STAR she returns to her Ghanaian roots with bold energy, crafting what she calls a “rallying cry for youth culture around the world. This album is bringing the alternative community to the forefront and being fearless about that.”
“I navigate the music world with balance, willpower, and strength. The challenges are real, don’t get me wrong, but I put my blinders on, lock into tunnel vision, and get to work. And when I come across another woman on the journey, especially a Black woman, I do my best to share knowledge, create opportunities, and lighten the load where I can,” says Amaarae.
As part of Spotify’s EQUAL programme, which amplifies women’s voices worldwide, Amaarae joins a growing list of African women shaping the future through sound and self-expression.
“Amaarae embodies the spirit of boundary-pushing creativity that EQUAL stands for,” says Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa. “Her artistry is bold, distinct, and unapologetically authentic – qualities that continue to inspire a new generation of artists across the continent and beyond.”
We sat down with Amaarae to learn more about her and her music:
1. What is that one surprising thing your fans might not know about you?
Amaarae: I’m one step away from being legally blind! My vision is a -7 and I have astigmatism!!
2. When did you realise that making music was in your destiny and what is your WHY for pursuing this craft?
Amaarae: When I moved back home to Ghana in 2009, I was learning how to make beats and record myself at the back of the computer lab. Someone had installed a cracked version of FL.
3. Which African songs or artists did you grow up listening to?
Amaarae: The list goes on and on. Daddy LUMBA (RIP), Terri Bonchaka, MzBel, Abrewa Nana, Obrafour’s legendary album Pae Mu Ka, Sarkodie, Kwadwo Antwi. I could go all day.
4. To someone who has never heard your music, how would you describe the sound, tone, and style?
Amaarae: Let’s encourage listeners to be curious and adventurous! If you’re reading this and you’ve never heard my music, I dare you to go listen! And tell me how YOU would describe my sound.
5. Any advice for someone dreading following their dreams?
Amaarae: The regret does more damage than the effort.
Kaspersky, SMEDAN to Support SMEs in Nigeria with Cybersecurity Knowledge
NGF Launches Digital Platform to Bridge $100bn Infrastructure Gap
TD Africa Secures AI ISO Certifications
Data Is Life: Why MTN Wants You to Get Smarter with Your Data
Paradigm Initiative Equips Prosecutors for the Digital Age of Crime
Telecom3 days agoNCC Claims to Have Eliminated Unregistered SIMs from Telecoms Networks
Telecom3 days agoAliyu Aboki Applauds Broadband Mapping as About Expanding Opportunity in Africa
Telecom2 days agoFG Scraps 5 Percent Telecom Excise Duty Under New Tax Law
Telecom3 days agoMTN Group Restructures Executive Team, Appoints Toriola VP for Francophone Africa
E-Financial3 days agoUBA Secures N5Bn BoI Fund to Boost Women Entrepreneurs, Others
- News3 days ago
Telcos See Biggest Growth Post-COVID – ALTON
General News3 days agoVirtual Reality in Healthcare: Nigeria’s Untapped Opportunity for Training, Patient Care, and Medical Innovation
News3 days agoNITDA, Bauchi State Partner on Digital Literacy and Skills Framework