Opinion | The Fall of DStv’s Empire: A Lesson in Corporate Arrogance
For years, DStv—under the stewardship of its parent company, MultiChoice—operated like an untouchable juggernaut across Africa, milking subscribers dry with little regard for customer satisfaction. But now, the empire is shaking. And frankly, the collapse couldn’t come soon enough.
Let’s stop sugarcoating it: DStv’s business model was built on exploitation. You paid a hefty sum for a decoder. Then you paid again—month after month—for rigid subscription bouquets packed with dozens of channels you never watched. Add to that the insult of signal loss every time the weather sneezed, and a customer service system that was more robotic than responsive.
It worked for a time, when consumers had no choice. But that time is over. Nigerians, like many others across the continent, are waking up and walking away.
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The numbers don’t lie.
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1.4 million subscribers have gone in Nigeria alone.
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Revenue nearly halved in just one year.
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Drastic price slashes on decoders, packaged as “relief,” but clearly desperation.
For years, DStv hiked prices even as millions of families battled rising food and fuel costs. Now, with streaming services offering more flexible, affordable, and customer-friendly alternatives, the market is voting with its wallets. And DStv is losing—badly.
The truth is, DStv was designed to thrive in a monopoly. It grew fat on customer frustration and a lack of alternatives. But in the age of Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime, and even local platforms, it failed to evolve. Its much-hyped pivot to digital—Showmax—arrived too late and with too little innovation. Today, that platform is hemorrhaging cash, weighed down by the same outdated thinking that’s sinking its satellite parent.
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And now? MultiChoice is reaching out to Canal+ like a drowning man grabbing a straw, hoping the French media giant can pull them back to shore. But pity is misplaced. What we are witnessing is not just a business struggling—it’s a case study in what happens when a company underestimates the power of the consumer.
This isn’t just about DStv. It’s a warning to any company arrogant enough to believe that customers will stick around no matter how poorly they’re treated.
Nigerians deserve better than overpriced channels, second-rate service, and faceless corporations profiting off their pain. If DStv can’t deliver value—or respect—it will fade into the background like static on a broken decoder.
And for once, that silence might be golden.
Ayo Mojoyin
Media Analyst & Publisher