The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) convened in Abuja has issued a restraining order against Multi-choice Nigeria Limited, preventing the company from implementing its planned tariff and price increases scheduled to commence on May 1.
The tribunal’s decision, delivered on Monday by Saratu Shafii, comes in response to an ex-parte motion brought before it by counsel for the applicant, Festus Onifade.
Presiding over a three-member panel, Shafii granted the interim order, directing Multi-choice to refrain from executing the proposed price adjustments until the tribunal has heard and adjudicated the motion on notice.
All parties involved have been summoned to appear before the tribunal on May 7 at 10 a.m. for the formal hearing and determination of the case.
The petitioner, represented by legal practitioner Onifade, filed a lawsuit against Multi-choice Nigeria Ltd and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), seeking relief from the impending tariff hike.
The suit, lodged on April 29, requested two specific orders aimed at halting the price increase and safeguarding consumer rights pending the tribunal’s deliberation.
These include, “an order of interim injunction of this honourable tribunal restraining the 1st defendant whether by themselves, her privies, assigns by whatsoever name called from going ahead with impending price increase schedule to take effect from 1st May 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“An order restraining the 1st defendant from taking any step(s) that may negatively affect the rights of the claimant and other consumers in respect of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
The company had, on April 1, 2022, hiked the prices of all its packages.
The tribunal’s intervention follows Multi-choice’s announcement of a tariff hike across all its packages, set to take effect from May 1, 2024.
With consumers expressing concerns over the potential financial burden posed by the planned increase, the tribunal’s decision underscores the importance of regulatory oversight in protecting consumer interests and ensuring fair market practices.
The interim injunction serves as a temporary measure to prevent any adverse effects on consumers until the tribunal has had the opportunity to thoroughly examine the merits of the case.
