The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal in Abuja has ruled that its interim decision prohibiting MultiChoice Nigeria Limited from increasing the DSTV tariff be posted at the company’s corporate headquarters or any recognised branch address throughout Nigeria.
The tribunal’s chairman, Saratu Shafii, issued the order on April 29, 2024, stating that the paper shall also be pasted at MultiChoice’s known email address, social media handles, and any other publicly known methods of communication for MultiChoice.”
The interim order, restraining MultiChoice from increasing its tariff, was granted in favour of an Abuja-based lawyer, Festus Onifade, who is aggrieved by MultiChoice recent announcement to increase the tariffs on its DStv and Gotv packages effective from May 1.
Mister Onifade sought “an order of interim injunction of the tribunal restraining the 1st defendant whether by themselves, her privies, assigns by whatsoever name called from going ahead with impending price increase scheduled to take effect from 1st May 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The tribunal had issued an order, stopping MultiChoice from increasing its tariffs and cost of products and services, scheduled to take effect from May 1.
The company was restrained from effecting its planned price hike pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed before it.
However, the tribunal made moves to serve Multi-Choice, but the bailiff alleged that staff at the Abuja office of the company, refused to receive service of the order and other court documents.
The bailiff claimed that one of the company’s top managers at the Abuja office, refused to receive the documents, and instructed that the documents be sent to the Lagos office, being the headquarters.
Following the bailiff’s feedback, the tribunal issued an order of substituted service on MultiChoice under Section 48 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018; and Part N, Order 14 Rule 11(1) of the CCPT Rule, 2021.
In the certified true copy of the order of substituted service, the Shaffi-led panel directed that the ex-parte order in suit number: CCPT/OP/2/2024, be pasted at the corporate headquarters or any known address of the branches of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited across Nigeria.
She also ordered that the documents be sent to the company’s “known email address, social media handles, and any means of communication publicly known for Multi-Choice, and should also be pasted in the CCPT communication outlet.