There was once a time when DSTV was the golden pay-TV source, but in more recent years, the video service has seen a significant decline. According to recent reports, MultiChoice lost over 243,000 subscribers in just six months. While many Nigerians stay tuned out of nostalgia, a large chunk of viewers no longer feel the platform offers enough value to justify the soaring subscription fees. Modern-day Nigeria is akin to a battlefield, and when so many are fighting inflation, forex challenges, and data-driven disruption, some sacrifices have to be made. The question is, why does DSTV seem to be one of them?
High Prices but Low Value
Subscription hikes are a literal major turning point for veteran DSTV users. In April 2024, the company increased its prices again, with some packages by as much as 21%, citing operational costs and inflation warranted the uptick. But for users, especially middle- and low-income families, these hikes feel like a slap in the face. At a time when disposable income is shrinking, what entertainment it’s spent on is scrupulously picked. If DSTV prices are hiking, then the sacrifices made to accommodate it drop.
While spiking prices are annoying in nearly every context, irritation can be curbed if quality rises as well. This is a major pain point for viewers when it comes to DSTV. While MultiChoice has kept so many of the original features that people loved, the emphasis remains on loved. The world seems to be moving faster than they can adapt, but if such is the case for their quality, then many feel like their prices shouldn’t be able to evolve either
The Rise of Streaming Culture
As internet penetration grows and data costs become more accessible (albeit slowly), Nigerians are moving away from traditional cable TV and exploring cheaper, more flexible streaming options. Platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and even YouTube are becoming the go-to choices for younger, mobile-first viewers. It doesn’t help that MultiChoice has ShowMax, a popular streaming site that ironically steals DSTV viewers.
Unlike DSTV, streaming services offer users on-demand content, multi-device support, and control over what they watch and when. The rigid structure of DSTV’s programming, with fixed times and limited personalization, feels outdated for the individualistic generation of media consumers.
Tech-Savvy Nigerians Want More Than DSTV
As was said above, we live in a time when personalization is king. Nigerian consumers, especially Gen Z and millennials, want tech that works for them, not tech they have to lift several fingers to operate. They want platforms that understand their viewing habits, curate content based on an algorithm, and let them share, rewind, skip, or binge. DSTV, in its current form, has been unable to reach such heights.
While DSTV has made some efforts to digitize, like offering mobile streaming through their app, these efforts are often contradicted by clunky user interfaces, streaming limitations based on subscription tiers, and frequent app crashes.
What’s Next for DSTV?
In truth, unless DSTV redefines its model and integrates features that reflect the realities of today’s media consumers, it risks becoming irrelevant.
Lower-cost, internet-powered competitors are already here, and media consumers are flocking to them for benefits that DSTV is yet to offer. DSTV must make a decision. Will it be a worthy competitor in a digital-first Nigeria, or will it become another well-beloved thing of the past, spoken of fondly, but not worthily? Only MultiChoice can decide.
What do you think about DSTV? do you still have a subscription? Let us know down below. For more on the spike in DSTV prices, click here.
