As the negative economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis continues to plague Nigerians, subscribers to DStv and GOtv have taken to social media to reject and protest the latest increase in tariff.
The announcement of the tariff increase was recently circulated to subscribers via text messages and many Nigerians have lamented about the increase, calling both companies “inhumane” and “insensitive”.
Verifications from the DStv site showed that Premium subscribers, who have been paying N15,800 should prepare to pay N16,200; Compact Plus subscribers will now pay N10, 925 instead of N10,650 while those on Compact will pay N6,975 as against the previous N6,800.
Also, customers on Confam bouquet will pay N4,615 against N4,500, while those on Yanga will from June 1 be made to pay N2,565, against the N2,500 previous payment. Those on Padi bouquet will pay addition N50 to put the price at N1,850.
A subscriber with the Twitter handle @Dara_Ernal said: ‘It is obvious that Dstv don’t care about Nigerians if they can just increase tariff at this very moment #WeRejectDstvIncrease’
The same handler went on to tweet: ‘It doesn’t make sense for DStv to increase tariff in this difficult period #WeRejectDstvIncrease’
Another customer with the handle, @ayo_olah wrote: ‘So from 1st of June we will be paying high tariffs on Gotv/Dstv! This is inhuman for them to do this in this difficult period #WeRejectDstvIncrease’
A handler, @MasterEedris lamented saying: ‘When we thought DSTV will have sense and reduce their prices, next thing boom they wantu increase price at this difficult time #WeRejectDstvIncrease’
@Sire__Gift said: ‘A brand that cares for the masses should either reduce tariffs or let tariffs be but should never increase them in this hard time #WeRejectDstvIncrease
These online protests began in the late hours of Saturday and Nigerians have continued to call on the government and regulatory bodies to help overturn this increase.