Nigerians who have been groaning under heavy taxation, indiscriminate tariff hike by DSTV and other Satellite Broadcast Service Providers, may soon smile and heave a sigh of relief as bill seeking to amend the National Broadcasting Commission Act, 2014 and empower it to regulate tariff, has passed second reading.

The sponsor of the Bill, Deputy Chairman Communications Committee and member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Rep. Unyime Idem, has sought the leave of the House to among other things, extend the powers of the National Broadcasting Commission to regulate and review the tariff being charged by the Digital Satellite Television Services and other Broadcasting outfits in Nigeria and their subscription policy. It is believed that the Bill when passed into law will encourage liberal, open and favourable competition in the industry. It also believed the bill will encourage the creative industry, create jobs and encourage local players to participate in the digital broadcast sector.

Leading debate on the Bill, Rep Idem noted that “Nigerians have witnessed tremendous harrowing and continuous hardship in the hands of the Digital Satellite Television Providers over the years ranging from incessant increment in the cost of services arbitrarily without recourse to the regulatory agencies, to randomly changing policies without the guidance and direction of the Commission or any other body set up by the Federal Government”. He urged his colleagues to support the Bill for the sake of impoverished Nigerians who have no other means of challenging the high handedness and arbitrariness of DSTV and others on issues of subscription policy and tariff. The Bill which received overwhelming support from Lawmakers was read for the second time referred to the Committee on Information and Communication Technology for more action.

Recall that on April 9, 2020, Rep. Idem was appointed Chairman Ad-hoc committee by the House of Representatives, to investigate the Non-implementation of Pay-As-You-Go in the broadcast industry. The Committee swung into action immediately and made a lot of discoveries in the process, the report of which has been submitted to the House for further legislative action. Part of the discoveries of the Committee was that the NBC as it is presently constituted lacks the powers to call the Digital Satellite Television Service Providers to order in a situation whereby there is a breach in subscription policy and tariff.

Do you need a new law for that?
No existing laws to checkmate their excesses?
Problem is with untrained and highly ineffective Civil Servants who don't know their Jobs.. not with the laws..

Who is stopping the Nigerian states from establishing is own pay TV? you can tell DSTV how much they will be charging.

when will the law that strikes out DSTV monopoly in showing the UCL, EPL etc kick off?

Dstv don dey swallow our money through their sub from time immemorial.. I thinks it'd time Nigeria govt stand up... Create a good competition for this people.. That'd the reason behind their escalation in price... If there is competition they will adjust..

Parachoko:
Who is stopping the Nigerian states from establishing is own pay TV? you can tell DSTV how much they will be charging.

when will the law that strikes out DSTV monopoly in showing the UCL, EPL etc kick off?

the problem is, those gaining from this dstv monopoly of a thing will not give room for competition... Cos they know when there is competition the cash flow will reduce drastically.

This is crass stupidity

habsydiamond:
Dstv don dey swallow our money through their sub from time immemorial.. I thinks it'd time Nigeria govt stand up... Create a good competition for this people.. That'd the reason behind their escalation in price... If there is competition they will adjust..

How they take swallow your money?

FarahAideed:


How they take swallow your money?

heavy bills on subscriptions nao..... Atimes u will pay.. They won't connect u for days and they won't add to the days left... I still prefer that pay as u go of a thing.

These are the problem .. socialism ...share 20k dash 5k ..regulate price

Soon mtn and dstv would leave Nigeria for you socialist people

habsydiamond:
heavy bills on subscriptions nao..... Atimes u will pay.. They won't connect u for days and they won't add to the days left... I still prefer that pay as u go of a thing.

Then leave them and use startimes , startimes has pay as u go

FarahAideed:


Then leave them and use startimes , startimes has pay as u go

I dey use startimes nao... Though below dstv standard in times of quality and programmes but atleast dem dey try in their own way and I love them for that. No delay in connection... No booting for almost a day with them everything is easy.