MultiChoice slashes decoder price by 50%, launches free upgrade promo

In a bold move to recover from a steep subscriber decline, PayTV operator MultiChoice Nigeria has announced a 50% price cut on its DStv decoder, reducing the cost from N20,000 to N10,000.

The discount, effective from June 16 to July 31, 2025, is part of a broader campaign to attract new users and retain existing ones amid economic pressures and increased competition in the entertainment market.

The company is also offering a free subscription upgrade to the next DStv package tier for all active and returning customers who renew their current subscription in full during the promotional window.

The initiative, dubbed the “We’ve Got You” campaign, follows MultiChoice’s loss of 1.4 million subscribers in Nigeria between March 2023 and March 2025 — a figure that represents 77% of the company’s total subscriber losses across its Rest of Africa (RoA) operations.

“By repositioning itself as a platform for daily value, DStv aims to encourage content discovery across a wider array of genres, including movies, drama, kids’ programming, and news,” the company said in a statement.

MultiChoice Nigeria CEO, John Ugbe, emphasized the company’s intention to make premium content more accessible and reward customer loyalty.

“We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day. The ‘We’ve Got You’ campaign is about more than football — it’s about giving something to everyone,” Ugbe stated.

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The promotional offer automatically applies to subscribers who renew within the campaign period, unlocking more channels and content with no extra cost.

MultiChoice Group had recently attributed its subscriber losses to persistent macroeconomic challenges in Nigeria, including high inflation, erratic power supply, and fuel scarcity.

The group’s financial report showed the RoA segment lost 1.8 million subscribers over two years, with Nigeria accounting for the bulk of that figure.

These challenges were compounded by frequent price hikes in DStv and GOtv packages. MultiChoice Nigeria had increased prices three times within 12 months — twice in 2023 (April and November) and again in May 2024 — sparking criticism from customers and regulators.

The decoder price slash and free upgrade offer are seen as strategic efforts to regain market confidence and stimulate renewed interest in the PayTV service.