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Senate Asks Pay-TV Providers to Slash Tariff

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The Senate has asked all cable television service providers to immediately review their bouquet prices downwards, in tandem with the prevailing reality of the economic situation in Nigeria.

Senate Asks Pay-TV Providers to Slash Tariff

Ahmad Lawan, president of the Senate, also on Wednesday, constituted a seven-man ad hoc committee to investigate the hike in the tariffs imposed on subscribers by pay-tv service providers operating in Nigeria.

Lawan, while announcing members of the committee chaired by Senator Aliyu Sabi-Abdullahi, deputy majority whip, tasked the panel with carrying out a comprehensive probe into how pay-tv service providers impose bills on subscribers in other countries.

Members of the committee include Senators Sulaiman Kwari, Oluremi Tinubu, Yusuf Yusuf, Lekan Mustapha, Chukwuka Utazi, Akon Eyakenyi.

The Senate had earlier kicked against the increase in tariffs by MultiChoice Nigeria, owners of DStv.

A member, Senator Abba Moro, had moved a motion titled ‘Nigerians Dumbfounded, Outraged Over Pay-TV Tariff Hikes, Demand for Pay-Per-View Subscription model.’

Moro noted the concern and uproar in the public over tariff hikes by service providers on their bouquets.

The lawmaker made reference to DStv which told its Compact bouquet subscribers on August, 22 2020, to expect a 13.3 per cent price increase to N7,900, up from N6, 975, with effect from September 1, 2020.

Moro decried that the Compact plus was jacked up by 9.8 per cent, from N10,925 to N12,000; and Premium from N16, 200 to N18,400, indicating a 13.6 per cent hike.

He said, “MultiChoice Nigeria willfully and perpetually increases the cost of its bundles because there is no regulation whatsoever in the area of fixing rates.”

“As usual, without recourse to the economic situation of the country, MultiChoice has again raised the cost of its DStv and GOtv bundles, stating them as follows: DStv Premium (N21,000), Compact (N14,250), Compact (N9, 000), Confam (N5, 300), Yanga (N2, 950), Padi (N2, 150), Business(N2, 669), Xtraview PVR access fee (N2, 900).

“Those of GOtv are as follows: GOtv Max (N4,150), GOtv Jolli (N2, 6669), GOtv Jinja (N1, 900), GOtv Lite (N900).”

The lawmaker expressed concern that thousands of pay-tv subscribers in Nigeria have bitterly reacted to the development on different social media platforms, ranging from deep shock to pure outrage with many asking the Nigerian government to checkmate the activities of pay-tv service providers in Nigeria, especially in the area of fixing prices.

Moro added that among the bitter complaints of Nigerian subscribers of pay-tv services was the poor network service experienced as a result of bad weather/ epileptic electricity supply, which sometimes makes a whole month subscription wasteful without the subscriber watching anything before the expiration.

According to him, Nigerians are demanding that, rather than paying fixed rates for packages monthly, pay-tv service providers should introduce a subscription model which allows subscribers to pay per view to enable them to match their TV consumption to subscription, as is the case with electricity metering and mobile telephony.

The lawmaker explained that the pay-per-view that Nigerian subscribers are demanding is a flexible model plan of subscription which allows subscribers of pay-tv to pay-per-watch, to avoid paying for services that they do not consume.

Adopting the motion, the Senate urged the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the Nigerian Communications Commission to direct all pay-tv providers to introduce a pay-per-view model of subscription as against the monthly prepaid model presently in place.

The Senate also directed all pay-tv service providers in Nigeria to immediately review their bouquet prices downwards in tandem with the prevailing reality of the economic situation in the country.

It also resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to embark on the full-scale investigation of the pricing activities of DStv in Nigeria to bring it in line with international practices.

Efforts previously made by the House of Representatives to ensure the introduction of pay-per-view by DStv and other cable services had failed.

The House had set up and mandated the panel on March 17, 2020, to investigate DSTV and other cable television service providers in Nigeria.

The House had, again on June 2, passed another resolution, mandating the panel to invite DSTV to explain its tariff increment on June 1.


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MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

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MTN Group has begun rolling out MTN One TV, a new entertainment proposition designed to make digital video content more accessible, relevant, and flexible for customers across African markets.

MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

Introduced in line with MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN One TV brings together local storytelling, live channels, international programming, and market-specific viewing options tailored to how customers across the continent access and pay for digital entertainment.

The proposition is designed to give customers greater choice in how they watch content, with viewing models that may vary by market and can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded experiences, pay-as-you-watch access, and subscription offerings.

Depending on local availability, customers may also be able to pay through airtime, Mobile Money, and other locally supported payment methods, helping to reduce common barriers to streaming access.

Beyond enhancing customer experiences, MTN One TV creates new opportunities for African creators, broadcasters, advertisers, and ecosystem partners by helping connect content to wider audiences through MTN’s scale across connectivity, payments, and digital services.

By bringing together a broad mix of content experiences under a single proposition, MTN aims to support greater content discovery, broader audience reach, and sustainable growth across Africa’s digital entertainment ecosystem.

Anchored in MTN’s strategic platforms of Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure, MTN One TV forms part of the Group’s broader ambition to build digital experiences that create value for customers while enabling participation and growth across Africa’s digital economy.

“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN group chief commercial, strategy and transformation officer.

“Through MTN One TV, we are leveraging the scale of our connectivity, fintech, and digital capabilities to make relevant content more accessible while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economies. This is aligned with our ambition to deliver digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”

MTN One TV is being introduced progressively across MTN markets through a phased rollout approach that reflects local market needs, existing services, and partnership opportunities.

Over time, MTN will bring together a combination of video capabilities, content partnerships, and customer experiences under the MTN One TV brand to create a more consistent and scalable entertainment proposition across its footprint.

Through MTN One TV, MTN continues to extend its role beyond connectivity by combining entertainment, payments, and digital services to deliver experiences tailored to the needs of African consumers.

The rollout supports MTN’s Ambition 2030 vision of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress while expanding access to digital entertainment across the continent.

 


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IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World’s Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

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International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified Nigeria as one of the most expensive countries in the world for airline operations, citing high taxes, charges and operational costs that continue to weigh heavily on local carriers.

IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World's Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, disclosed this during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro.

Al-Awadhi said that although Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been pursuing reforms aimed at improving the aviation sector, airlines operating in the country still faced enormous cost pressures.

According to him, the high-cost operating environment has continued to affect the profitability and competitiveness of Nigerian airlines, making it difficult for the industry to realise its full potential.

He noted that excessive taxes, regulatory charges and other operating expenses remained major obstacles to airline growth across the region, with Nigeria ranking among the most challenging markets from a cost perspective.

Al-Awadhi urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States to adopt a proposed 25 per cent reduction in aviation taxes and charges to ease the burden on airlines and passengers.

According to him, lowering taxes and charges would reduce airfares, stimulate passenger traffic and strengthen the competitiveness of carriers operating within West Africa.

He stressed that a more supportive policy environment was critical to unlocking the economic benefits of aviation, including increased trade, tourism and regional integration.

Industry stakeholders have consistently advocated lower taxes and regulatory fees, arguing that the current cost structure makes air travel less affordable and limits the growth of the sector.

IATA’s latest remarks add to calls for governments in West Africa to implement policies that will promote a more sustainable and competitive aviation industry across the region.


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NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

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The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has trained 50 women in Kano State on inverter and battery technologies through its She-Powers Energy Initiative.

NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

The three-day programme, held at the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano which ended yesterday, was designed to equip participants with practical renewable energy skills, promote women-led enterprises, and enhance sustainable livelihoods.

 The initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader commitment to empowering women, creating economic opportunities, and expanding participation in Nigeria’s growing clean energy sector. It also aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.

 Through targeted interventions such as the She-Powers Energy Initiative, NASENI continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve lives and drive sustainable development across the country.

Photos: Participants at the She-Powers Energy Initiative training organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) held at the the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano yesterday.


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