The Competition and Consumer Protection (CCP) tribunal in Abuja has dismissed a suit challenging the increase of price on its bouquets by MultiChoice Nigeria Limited.
A three-member panel of the tribunal on Tuesday dismissed the suit for lack of merit.
The suit, filed by Festus Onifade, sought to restrain the firm from hiking subscription fees for its services and other products.
But the tribunal, in a ruling, said the power to regulate prices of goods and services only resides in the president, even as it held that the claimants failed to prove that MultiChoice had abused its power of dominance in the market, saying since Nigeria operates a free market economy, the argument lacked merit.
The panel also refused to grant the claimants’ prayer to direct the firm to adopt a pay-as-you-view model of billing for all its products and services.
It, however, ordered FCCPC to investigate if the firm adopts a pay-as-you-view package for its products and services in other countries, especially South Africa, and report back to the court within six months.
The tribunal, in its ruling, also dismissed the claimants’ demand for N10 million damages.
It also said that prayers 4 and 5 of the claimants lacked merit.
The panel, however, ordered the management of MultiChoice to appear before it on September 8 with their 2021 audited financial statements.
