Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has launched a sharp criticism of satellite television provider DStv, insisting the company must appear before the Senate over what he described as unfair billing practices targeting Nigerian consumers.
Speaking during a Senate session, Akpabio questioned why subscribers in Nigeria are charged continuously even when their decoders are not in use, contrasting the system with practices in South Africa, where he said subscriptions can remain inactive without expiring.
“If you travel for one month, two months, three months, your card will not run. Your money remains until you come and activate it,” he said. “But in Nigeria, once you pay, if you travel for a week or two weeks, by the time you come back, it has run out.”
The Senate President argued that the billing structure effectively charges Nigerians daily regardless of whether the service is being used, describing the arrangement as unacceptable.
“DStv must appear before this Senate. South Africa cannot try this,” Akpabio declared, signalling growing pressure on the pay-TV provider amid mounting complaints over subscription costs and consumer protection concerns.
The remarks are expected to intensify scrutiny of pay-TV operators in Nigeria, where rising living costs have amplified public frustration over recurring service charges.
