Government Gives DSTV Ultimatum to Reduce Prices or Face Licence Suspension
The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has ordered the National Communications Authority (NCA) to revoke the broadcasting licence of MultiChoice-owned DSTV if it fails to reduce its subscription fees by August 7, 2025.
This directive comes after DSTV declined to lower its prices despite the recent strengthening of the Ghanaian cedi. The Minister’s remarks were made following a high-level meeting with DSTV representatives on Friday, July 4, 2025, aimed at negotiating a downward review of subscription rates. The meeting was prompted by growing public dissatisfaction and calls for fairer pricing.
DSTV, in a detailed nine-page response to the Ministry, defended its stance by citing a more than 200% depreciation of the cedi over the past eight years. The company argued that the recent appreciation of the currency was temporary and did not justify a price cut. However, Mr George rejected this explanation, stressing that the government would not accept price inflexibility that disadvantages Ghanaian consumers.
“On July 21 this year, I received a nine-page letter from MultiChoice outlining why they were unwilling to reduce their pricing. Their explanation referenced a 240% depreciation in the cedi over the last eight years, and they claimed the recent recovery of the currency was merely a fluke and therefore unsustainable.
“As Minister, my loyalty is to the Ghanaian people. I am obligated to protect their interests. I strongly believe Ghanaians have been overcharged and taken advantage of for far too long. On Monday, I wrote back to the NCA instructing them to suspend DSTV’s broadcasting license effective August 7, 2025, should they fail to revise their bundle prices downward.
“I cannot, in good conscience, stand by as this blatant exploitation of the Ghanaian people continues,” he declared.
Mr George made these remarks during a ministerial press briefing on Friday, August 1, where he presented updates on key developments in the communications and digital technology sector for the second quarter of 2025.
The ongoing standoff with DSTV has sparked widespread public support for tougher regulatory measures, as consumers continue to demand more affordable satellite television services.
