DSTV risks licence suspension by Aug 7 over high prices – Sam George warns

The Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has directed the National Communications Authority (NCA) to suspend the broadcasting licence of MultiChoice-owned DSTV if the company fails to reduce its subscription prices by August 7, 2025.

The directive comes after DSTV declined to adjust its pricing in response to the recent appreciation of the cedi.

“In my capacity as Minister, my fidelity is to the Ghanaian people. I have written to the NCA, instructing them to suspend DSTV’s broadcasting licence effective August 7 if they do not comply,” Mr. George said during a ministerial briefing on Friday, August 1.

His remarks follow a high-level meeting with DSTV executives on July 4, convened to push for lower subscription rates amid rising public discontent.

The meeting was prompted by widespread complaints that DSTV’s current pricing model remains unresponsive to changing market conditions, particularly the strengthening of the cedi.

In a nine-page response to the Ministry, DSTV defended its pricing, arguing that the cedi has depreciated by more than 200% over the past eight years.

The company maintained that the recent currency gains are unlikely to be sustained and therefore do not justify a downward revision of subscription fees.

However, the minister rejected that rationale, stating that the government would not tolerate “price rigidity” that harms consumers.

“The Ghanaian people deserve fair pricing that reflects current economic realities,” he stated.

The standoff has added fuel to growing public frustration over DSTV’s charges, with calls intensifying for regulatory action to ensure more affordable access to satellite television.

The outcome of this dispute could have significant implications for how foreign digital service providers price their offerings in Ghana’s evolving economic environment.