MultiChoice, the company behind DStv and GOtv platforms, has recorded a huge decline in its subscriber base in Nigeria.
During the six-month period from April to September 2024, no fewer than 243,000 Nigerians canceled their DStv subscriptions.
MultiChoice also recorded an 11% decline in subscribers across Africa, with nearly 1.8 million viewers opting out of its services.
The company cited macroeconomic conditions, including inflation and the high cost of living, as the primary drivers.
“On a YoY basis, the linear subscriber base declined by 11% or 1.8m subscribers to 14.9m active subscribers, impacted by the challenging macroeconomic conditions that negatively impacted discretionary consumer spend.
“The loss in the Rest of Africa has been primarily due to the significant consumer pressure in Nigeria, where inflation has remained above 30% for the majority of the last 12 months and, more recently, due to extreme power disruptions in Zambia.
“Of this decline, 298k related to Zambia and 243k related to Nigeria, with remaining markets on the continent reflecting only a minor decline of 25k,” MultiChoice stated on its website.
In separate interviews with NewsNGR, subscribers who abandoned DStv or GOtv cited high subscription costs, lack of flexibility, and inferior content among their reasons for switching services.
Oludoyin James, a freelancer residing in Lagos State, said he switched to the more affordable Showmax service, which allows him to pay only for the sports content he watches, instead of the bundled DStv packages.
“The cost of DStv keeps increasing every now and then, so it stopped making sense to subscribe,” James said. “I think generally as internet becomes more accessible in Nigeria, more people will move to streaming platforms.”
He explained, “I stopped subscribing to DSTv because it was no longer offering value for my money. The only thing I watch on dstv is football and showmax is already offering that for a fraction of what dstv was charging. With DSTV I was paying for a lot of channels that I never watched, but Showmax allows me to pay for just the sports channel I want with just 3200.
“And there is the ease of use too. I can rewind if I miss any important action during the game which was not possible with the type of DStv decoder I have and I can’t start spending extra to get DSTV explora.
Chima Deborah, a fashion designer in Abuja, said the DStv Compact package she initially subscribed to had risen from N9,000 to N15,700.
“I just can’t justify spending that much, especially since I leave in the morning and come back in the evening, often to find either there’s no power, or the subscription has expired,” she explained.
Deborah added, “In my opinion, DStv lacks innovation. Why not let customers pay for only the channels they actually want? If I only watch 10 channels, I should be able to subscribe to those 10 rather than paying for a bundle of 150 channels, most of which I never even visit.
“With the economic hardship we’re facing now, I can’t keep up with DStv’s costs. Thankfully, we have alternatives like Netflix, Showmax, Apple TV, and others, where I can subscribe and cancel whenever I like.
“I’m more than willing to give away my DStv dish and decoder to anyone who wants them.”
Damilola Jacob, another former DStv subscriber, told NewsNGR that he found the service’s model incompatible with his family’s lifestyle.
He said, “I decided to discontinue my DStv subscription mainly due to the increasing cost and the limited flexibility it offers.
“Also, DStv’s linear programming model doesn’t align with my family’s viewing habits. I prefer the on-demand streaming services like Netflix, which grant me the freedom to choose what I watch, when I watch it.
“Additionally, with an unlimited internet subscription, I can access a vast array of content on platforms like YouTube, including educational programmes and documentaries.
“I believe DSTV could improve its service by introducing more flexible subscription options, such as pay-per-view or the ability to pause subscriptions during periods of low usage.
“While their parent company offers Showmax, I personally find Netflix to be a more satisfying streaming service.”
On his part, Jude Idowu, said he stopped paying for the DStv premium package not because of hardship or price increase but convenience, access and options.
“I have a Fire Stick that gives me a wide range of options—movies, sports, and news. So, it’s convenient for me to watch whatever I want at any time. I didn’t stop subscribing to DStv Premium because of the cost or financial hardship; I can comfortably afford it, but it lacks engaging content.
“Many streaming platforms now make it easy for people to watch what they like with just an internet connection on their phone or device. DStv, on the other hand, keeps repeating the same shows, and there’s nothing exciting left to watch. It used to be a lot of fun, but that has changed,” Idowu said.
The company increased subscription prices for DStv and GOtv on May 1, 2024, despite a tribunal’s order on April 25 barring the hike.
The decision led to a N150m fine and a directive for MultiChoice to offer one-month free subscriptions to Nigerians using their services. MultiChoice has vowed to appeal the judgement.