Samuel Nartey George
MultiChoice Ghana has announced that contrary to claims made by Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, it has not agreed to a price reduction for DSTV subscriptions in the country.
The announcement by MultiChoice Ghana came on Friday evening, September 5, 2025, few hours after George announced he had given the company a 14-day ultimatum to agree on a percentage reduction in DSTV subscription fees.
At a press conference in Accra on Friday, George said he had granted a 14-day extension to MultiChoice Ghana to agree on a percentage reduction in DSTV subscription fees.
The Ghanaian government had earlier indicated its intention to suspend the operations of MultiChoice Ghana on Saturday, September 6, 2025.
However, the Minister told journalists that while the pay-TV service provider failed to meet the initial deadline, MultiChoice has now shown a commitment to addressing pricing concerns through a consultative process similar to that used for the mobile data pricing reduction implemented on July 1, 2025.
According to him, “Consequently, I have established a Stakeholder Committee comprising representatives from:
• The Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation (MoCDTI)
• The National Communications Authority (NCA)
• MultiChoice Ghana
• MultiChoice Africa.”
The Minister added, “This Committee will be chaired by me. Even though MultiChoice requested for a further 30 days for the consultative process, I can only grant them 14 days as I believe that is sufficient enough to agree on the percentage of reduction. Therefore, the Committee has a strict 14-day mandate inclusive of weekends to conclude its work and present a suitable price reduction structure for the people of Ghana by 21st September, 2025.”
He noted the government’s awareness of the impending takeover of MultiChoice Africa by Canal+ at the end of September 2025, stating, “I have held engagements with Canal+, with emphasis placed on the need to respect any pricing reduction decisions and to consider further reductions in the future, if necessary. I have assurances from the management of Canal+ to respect the outcome of the stakeholder committee and work with government to address revenue losses occasioned by the grey market decoders.”
MultiChoice sets record straight
But in a statement, MultiChoice Ghana set “the record straight on DSTV pricing”, saying “We will fully participate in the established Working Committee. However, we wish to clarify that MultiChoice Group has not agreed to a price reduction.”
At the press conference, George recalled that the 30-day deadline given to MultiChoice by the National Communications Authority (NCA) expires on Saturday, September 6, 2025.
“It would be recalled that the NCA had requested for a breakdown of the cost build-up for the various bouquet offerings by MultiChoice in Ghana and in seven other African countries on the 4th of August 2025. That information had not been delivered by MultiChoice. Consequently, the Regulator imposed a GHS10,000 daily fine effective 14th August 2025 in line with the Electronic Communications Act. The Regulator also served a 30-day notice of suspension effective 7th August 2025,” he stated.
He concluded, “However, ahead of the expiration of the suspension notice tomorrow, MultiChoice has now indicated its commitment to addressing the pricing concerns through a consultative process as was adopted by the Ministry for the mobile data pricing reduction which was implemented on 1st July, 2025.”