PAY-TV Monopoly Under Threat as NBC Backs Crackdown on Price Hikes, Unfair Practices

For years, Nigeria’s PAY-TV giants have played a calculated game, locking free-to-air (FTA) channels—meant to be freely accessible—inside overpriced subscription bundles while controlling advertising revenue and shutting out smaller broadcasters.

Now, their stranglehold on the industry may finally be slipping, as the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) signals a potential regulatory shake-up that could change everything.

Though no official statement has been released, NBC Director-General Charles Ebuebu, in an informal exchange with journalists after attending an industry event in Lagos, hinted that the era of unchecked dominance in the industry may soon be over.

The presidency has also taken notice, ordering high-level ad-hoc teams to conduct an urgent review of the sector, a move that suggests the big players should start sweating.

The timing could not be worse for these PAY-TV operators. In addition to a formal petition from DAAR Communications, owners of AIT, which accused major platforms of stifling competition and monopolizing advertising revenue, one of the biggest PAY-TV operators suddenly hiked its subscription prices again, even as the naira strengthens, inflation eases, and the cost of other consumer goods drops.

The arbitrary nature of the price increase has not gone unnoticed. With no clear justification for raising rates at a time when economic indicators suggest they should be falling, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has begun challenging the move as an exploitative business practice, and the NBC has now openly thrown its weight behind the FCCPC’s efforts.

NBC Backs FCCPC: “Enough is Enough”

For the first time in years, the NBC is publicly aligning itself with consumer protection authorities, signaling that it will no longer stand by while PAY-TV operators exploit their dominance to impose draconian price hikes on Nigerians. Sources familiar with the NBC’s position say the commission believes there is no reasonable basis for this latest round of price increases, especially given the strengthening of the naira and declining inflation.

If these price hikes were truly driven by economic realities, why did they come at a time when input costs were going down? Why do PAY-TV operators consistently increase prices without justification while resisting every call for market transparency and fairer pricing structures?

These are the questions the FCCPC has started asking—and the NBC, it seems, is fully on board with the pushback.

The Game PAY-TV Companies Have Been Playing

For years, PAY-TV operators have built their business models around one simple but highly effective trick: take public FTA channels, bundle them into paid subscription plans, and turn what should be free content into a paid service. Nigerians, unaware that they are paying for channels that should be available at no cost, have been trapped in an exploitative system where access is controlled by a handful of powerful corporations.

Independent broadcasters, who should thrive on advertising revenue, have been systematically squeezed out, unable to compete against PAY-TV giants that hoard ad money and dictate what audiences see. The result? A media landscape where a few players control both content access and the financial pipeline, leaving smaller broadcasters and content creators struggling to survive.

The NBC’s backing of the FCCPC’s challenge to unfair price hikes is just one part of a broader review of how PAY-TV dominance is hurting the industry.

What May be Coming: A New Era For Broadcasting?

The NBC’s review, backed by the presidency, is expected to focus on key reforms that could shake the industry to its core:

• FTA Channels Mus

t Be Truly Free – PAY-TV operators may no longer be allowed to shove free-to-air channels into paid subscription packages, ensuring that every Nigerian can access them without paying a kobo.

• Capping Advertising Monopolies – NBC may place limits on how much advertising revenue PAY-TV operators can control, ensuring that more money flows to independent broadcasters instead of being concentrated in a few hands.
• Digital Access Fees for Streaming Giants – International streaming platforms raking in profits from Nigerian subscribers may be required to reinvest part of their revenue into local content, boosting funding for Nigerian filmmakers and content creators.
• Accountability for Price Hikes – PAY-TV companies may soon be required to publicly disclose the basis for price increases, ensuring that Nigerians are not repeatedly subjected to unjustified hikes.

While the NBC has not officially confirmed these moves, the mere fact that the presidency has ordered a review suggests that the industry’s power players may no longer be untouchable.

The PAY-TV Lobby Won’t go Down Without a Fight

If history has taught anything, it is that big corporations don’t give up billions without a battle. Democratizing access has never been an easy fight world over. Industry executives have already begun pushing back against any hint of regulation, warning that policy changes could “destabilize the market” and “discourage investment”—the usual excuses used when corporate giants feel their grip slipping.

A senior PAY-TV executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, cautioned that any attempt to enforce drastic reforms could disrupt business models. “We’ve invested billions into this market. Regulation must be handled carefully,” he said, a statement that sounds more like a warning than a plea.

But independent broadcasters and content creators are not buying the fear-mongering. “For years, we’ve been shut out while they took everything—subscribers, ad money, content control,” said a Lagos-based television producer. “It’s about time someone stood up and said, ‘Enough.’”

The Presidency’s Calculated Silence

While the presidency has not publicly declared war on PAY-TV giants, its decision to order a rapid review of the sector suggests a clear intention to shake things up. By letting the NBC take the lead, the government is keeping its hands clean while ensuring that industry monopolies come under serious scrutiny.

The big question now is whether this will lead to real change or just another regulatory debate that dies behind closed doors.

What This Means For Nigerians

If the NBC follows through on its review, it could mean:

• True free-to-air channels that don’t require a PAY-TV subscription
• More advertising money flowing to independent broadcasters instead of big corporations
• A potential increase in funding for Nigerian filmmakers and content creators
• A check on arbitrary price hikes that have long exploited subscribers

But if the PAY-TV giants win this battle behind closed doors, then business will continue as usual—with Nigerians paying for what should be free, independent broadcasters struggling, and content control staying in the hands of a privileged few.

For now, the industry is on edge. The players who have enjoyed unchecked dominance for years are suddenly being watched, and for the first time in a long while, they are being forced to answer uncomfortable questions.

Will this be the moment that finally cracks open the PAY-TV monopoly? Or will big money and corporate lobbying bury the conversation before it even begins?

Either way, this fight is far from over.

Get More of our proprietary news and analysis as MoneyCentral is now on WhatsApp Channels  Follow the MoneyCentral Nigeria channel on WhatsApp: Click here!