The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a lawsuit against it, which seeks to compel Multichoice Nigeria to configure its GOtv and DStv decoders to charge Nigerian customers based on actual viewing time (pay-per-view or during viewing).
The AGF, named as the fourth defendant in a lawsuit against Multichoice, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), contends that the case constitutes an abuse of court process and should be dismissed outright.
The pending lawsuit, filed by Maduabuchi O. Idam Esq. on April 29, 2024 (suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/563/2024), seeks an order compelling Multichoice to allow the rollover of unused subscriptions upon expiration, enabling Nigerian customers to maximize their investment in its services.
At the resumed proceedings on February 19, 2025, before Justice Inyang Ekwo, Multichoice’s lawyer, Moyosore J. Onigbanjo (SAN), informed the court that he was opposing the claimant’s suit against the pay-TV network.
Ekwo then asked the claimant, “Have you received all these processes, and have you filed a reply?”
“Yes, my Lord, I have responded,” the claimant answered but added that more court processes (further affidavits) needed to be exchanged, particularly between him and the legal teams of the AGF and NBC.
“I am going to give you a date for the hearing, believing that by then, parties should have filed and exchanged whatever necessary processes,” Ekwo responded.
The judge eventually fixed the hearing date for May 6, 2025.
“The AGF is not a regulatory body in respect of the subject matter of the claim and has no business in the suit.
“The AGF is not a proper or necessary party to the suit.
“The originating process is premature and defective as it relates to the AGF,” the motion stated.
Naijaonpoint previously reported that after the lawsuit was filed last year, Multichoice’s lawyer, Moyosore J. Onigbanjo (SAN), denied allegations of customer exploitation, through his court processes .
The NBC stated that before the committee assigned to investigate the plaintiff’s complaint could conclude its work, the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a judgment declaring that the NBC lacks the authority to investigate or sanction in this context.
While a verdict on the pending lawsuit is yet to be determined, Multichoice has faced accusations of exploiting Nigerian customers over the years.
This latest increase comes despite a significant loss of subscribers in the previous year, which the company attributed to multiple price hikes, inflation, and other factors.