No To DSTV Extortion: Nigerians React As DSTV Increases Subscription Fee

 

Nigerians have protested DSTV's decision to increase subscription fees with 'No To DSTV Extortion'. DSTV announced a new subscription fee just a month after the Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Festus Keyamo, requested that DSTV should offer its subscribers a one-month free service to ease the pains of Nigerian workers during the lockdown.

But DSTV pulled a plot twist as the cable TV increased the price for its subscription rather than cut charges or offer free service. In a bulletin conveying the new prices, DSTV included VAT in its subscription fee for packages and Add-ons channels. The price will be effective on June 1, 2020.

This is the exact opposite of what Keyamo urged DSTV to do, "As one of the Ministers entrusted with the welfare of Nigerian workers, I politely urge @DStvNg & @StarTimes_Ng to extend all EXISTING subscriptions by at least one month, free-of-charge, as their own contribution to ease the pains of Nigerian workers at this time of lockdown.”

 

1. As one of the Ministers entrusted with the welfare of Nigerian workers, I politely urge @DStvNg & @StarTimes_Ng to extend all EXISTING subscriptions by at least one month, free-of-charge, as their own contribution to ease the pains of Nigerian workers at this time of lockdown

— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) March 30, 2020

 

Although DSTV later donated N1.2 billion, spreading the money across the Federal, State and movie practitioners days after Keyamo's request. But today, DSTV sent messages across various platforms, including Twitter, stating that, "Dear DStv customer, please be informed that effective 1 June 2020, we will implement 7.5% VAT on all DStv services."

The new price for their most popular packages is as follow;

Premium: previous price (N15,800), new price (N16,200)

Compact+: previous price (N10,650), new price (N10,925)

Compact: previous price (N6,800), new price (N6,975)

Confam: previous price (N4,500), new price (N4,615)

Yanga: (N2,500), new price (N2,565)

Padi: previous price (N1,800), new price (N1,850)

Add-ons channels

Access Fee: previous price (N2,200), new price (N2,255)

Box Office: previous price (N400), new price (N410)

Nigerians are not happy with DSTV

When the new price hit social media platform, Twitter, users began to criticise the company for increasing its price at period businesses and households are suffering financially due to coronavirus pandemic and the shutdown.

This led to Nigerians protesting with '#NoToDSTVExtortion' on Twitter. According to a Twitter user, Oluwaseun Benjamin, DSTV is heartlessness for the price hike, "I n this trying and crucial time we are, DStv decides to do this DStv this is heartlessness #NoToDstvExtortion"

She added that, "This is really a high sense of irresponsibility by DStv. Am very disappointed in DStv."

 

In this trying and crucial time we are, DStv decides to do this
DStv this is heartlessness #NoToDstvExtortion#NoToDstvExtortion#NoToDstvExtortion#NoToDstvExtortion#NoToDstvExtortion#NoToDstvExtortion#NoToDstvExtortion#NoToDstvExtortion#NoToDstvExtortion#NoToDstvExtortion

— Oluwaseun Benjamin (@OluwaseunBenj2) May 7, 2020

 

Another Twitter user, Bolanle Cole, wrote, " Dear @DStvNg, I recieved you message with a high level of disappointment this morning of your plans to introduce 7.5% Vat implementation on all packages, I must tell you, this is the wrongest time to implement this. A country with a good govt wont allow this."

 

Dear @DStvNg

I recieved you message with high level of disappointment this morning of your plans to introduce 7.5% Vat implementation on all packages, I must tell you, this is the wrongest time to implement this. A country with a good govt wont allow this.#NoToDstvExtortion

— T. Bolanle Cole Esq.?? (@BolanleCole) May 7, 2020

 

While Olaifa Tobi questioned DSTV's motive as regards the price, stating that the cable tv should have added 2.5% since it had previously added 5%, rather than the 7.5% it just added, "5% VAT has been charged on every subscription before. Now that there is an increase in VAT percentage, they should only add 2.5% on all subscriptions and not 7.5% on all subscriptions. Something is not just right here #NoToDSTVExtortion."

 

5% VAT has been charged on every subscription before.

Now that there is an increase in VAT percentage, they should only add 2.5% on all subscriptions and not 7.5% on all subscriptions.

Something is not just right here. #NoToDSTVExtortion https://t.co/jzkAmM3keQ

— Olaifa Tobi (@Tobhiloba) May 7, 2020

 

Another Twitter user, @thereal_quma stated that monopoly is the reason DSTV is taking this path, "What rubbish is this... This is the problem with Monopoly. If there was another provider of the same service we would not have this situation #NoToDSTVExtortion"

 

What rubbish is this... This is the problem with Monopoly. If there was another provider of the same service we would not have this situation #NoToDSTVExtortion https://t.co/QtmhjTcfOd

— Guma without beards ? (@thereal_guma) May 7, 2020