The Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations has secured a landmark agreement with MultiChoice Africa that will see DStv subscribers in Ghana enjoy up to 50 percent more value on their packages from October 1, 2025.
The announcement follows the conclusion of deliberations by a Stakeholder Committee made up of the Ministry, the National Communications Authority (NCA), MultiChoice Africa and MultiChoice Ghana. The committee was tasked to review DStv pricing structures in Ghana and to propose measures to curb cross-border piracy of decoders from Nigeria.
Under the new model, Ghanaian subscribers will receive higher-tier content at the cost of their existing packages. For instance, customers on the Access bouquet, which costs GHS 99, will now receive Family bouquet channels worth GHS 190. Family bouquet subscribers paying GHS 190 will be upgraded to Compact bouquet content worth GHS 380, including live football matches.
Subscribers on the Compact bouquet (GHS 380) will now receive Compact Plus content worth GHS 570, while Compact Plus subscribers paying GHS 570 will enjoy Premium bouquet channels worth GHS 865. Premium bouquet customers will retain the full package but will also gain automatic entry into a competition for fully paid trips to watch selected English Premier League matches.
READ: 33-50% reduction in DStv prices a “big win” for Ghana – Sam George
Depending on the bouquet chosen, subscribers will benefit from between 33 percent and 50 percent more value.
MultiChoice Africa has also introduced a GHS 555 subsidy on the Zapper decoder and dish kit, reducing the acquisition cost by 50 percent for new customers.
Beyond pricing, the Committee addressed the persistent challenge of cross-border piracy of DStv services from Nigeria into Ghana. A Working Group comprising the Ministry, NCA, Cyber Security Authority, Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana Police Service, and other agencies will be established to design and implement measures to combat the practice, which has deprived the state of tax revenue and denied consumers proper after-sales service.
For years, DStv subscription fees have been a point of contention in Ghana, with consumer groups and legislators calling for reductions. In July 2023, for example, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communications summoned MultiChoice Ghana over what it described as “exorbitant charges” compared to Nigeria and South Africa.
Around the same period, the National Communications Authority (NCA) also intervened in response to public complaints, urging MultiChoice to review its pricing to reflect Ghana’s economic realities.
These concerns laid the foundation for government’s engagement with MultiChoice, culminating in the formation of the Stakeholder Committee this year.
The Minister emphasized that the new arrangements represent “value over and above what government requested,” commending MultiChoice for what he described as a demonstration of goodwill toward Ghanaian subscribers.
He added that the Committee will reconvene in three months to evaluate the impact of the new pricing model, noting that this will become a regular exercise to safeguard consumer interests and ensure sustainability in the PayTV sector.
“The message today is simple: the Government of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama is on your side, and MultiChoice is a responsive business,” the Minister said.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
