The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) is set to arraign MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, its Chief Executive Officer John Ugbe, and several top executives for allegedly obstructing an ongoing investigation and failing to comply with a lawful summons.
Court documents filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/197/2025 by the FCCPC’s legal team, led by Nsitem Chizenum Esq., accuse Ugbe, along with directors Gozie Onumonu and Adewunmi Ogunsanya, of refusing to appear before the Commission as ordered in a summons dated February 25, 2025. The defendants allegedly failed to comply without valid justification by the scheduled date of March 6, 2025.
The FCCPC asserts that this conduct constitutes a breach of Section 3 of the FCCPC Act, 2018, labeling it a deliberate attempt to obstruct regulatory proceedings. The Commission also alleges that the defendants hindered the probe by failing to produce requested documents.
This development follows a May 8, 2025, ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja which dismissed MultiChoice’s legal challenge against the FCCPC’s oversight, particularly regarding subscription price increases for its DStv and GOtv services. Justice James Omotosho ruled that the suit amounted to an abuse of court process.
At a court session held on Tuesday, FCCPC counsel informed Justice Omotosho that while MultiChoice has been properly served, other individual defendants are yet to be served personally. The judge subsequently adjourned the matter to October 7, 2025, for arraignment.
Background to the Dispute
Earlier this year, the FCCPC summoned MultiChoice’s CEO for an investigative hearing on February 27, over concerns surrounding repeated subscription price increases, possible abuse of market dominance, and suspected anti-competitive practices in the pay-TV industry.
MultiChoice’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Lagos State Attorney General Moyosore Onigbanjo, had filed a suit seeking to block the FCCPC’s sanctions, alleging a denial of fair hearing based on a Commission letter dated March 3, 2025. The suit was dismissed, clearing the way for the FCCPC to proceed with its investigation.
The scheduled arraignment signals a significant escalation in the Commission’s efforts to ensure compliance with consumer protection regulations in Nigeria’s pay-TV sector.
