FCCPC SETS OCTOBER 7 FOR ARRAIGNMENT OF MULTICHOICE NIGERIA CHAIRMAN, MD AND SENIOR OFFICERS

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has secured an October 7, 2025, date for the arraignment of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited’s Chairman, Adewunmi Ogunsanya, and its Managing Director, John Ugbe, on charges of breaching the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018. Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court granted the adjournment after counsel for the FCCPC, Chizenum Nsitem, informed the court that the defendants had not been properly served with the hearing notice.

Also named as defendants are six senior officers of the pay-TV operator, including MultiChoice Africa Holdings CEO Fhulufhelo Badugela; Chief Financial Officer for Africa Retiel Tromp; Group Executive for Corporate Affairs Keabetswe Modimoeng; Director Adebusola Bello; Fuad Ogunsanya; and Head of Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations Gozie Onumonu, along with the company itself.

The nine defendants face a seven-count charge. In the first count, MultiChoice Nigeria Limited is accused of failing, without just cause, to comply with a lawful FCCPC summons on March 6, 2025—alleged to contravene Section 33(3) of the FCCP Act. In Count Six, Ogunsanya, Ugbe, and other directors are charged with impeding an FCCPC investigation on the same date by refusing to produce requested documents, an offence under Section 110 of the Act.

The FCCPC launched its probe following MultiChoice’s March 1 subscription rate increase for DStv and GOtv, summoning the company to explain the justification for the hike and address concerns over possible market dominance and anti-competitive practices. The regulator warned that failure to substantiate the price adjustment or comply with fair-market principles would attract sanctions.

Earlier this year, Justice Omotosho dismissed a suit by MultiChoice seeking to restrain the FCCPC from taking administrative action, ruling it an abuse of process after a similar case was filed by another litigant.

On October 7, the defendants will be called upon to enter their pleas to the charges brought by the FCCPC.