TRIBUNAL ISSUES ORDER TO STOP MULTI-CHOICE NIGERIA ON PLANNED PRICE INCREASE PENDING HEARING OF SUIT FILED BY CONSUMER.
The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) has granted an Ex Parte Motion restraining Multi-choice Nigeria Limited from increasing prices of its goods and services on April 1 2022, as scheduled, pending the hearing and determination of a Motion on Notice suit filed before it.
The case, which was jointly filed by FESTUS SANMI ONIFADE and COALITION OF NIGERIA CONSUMERS, argued by FESTUS SANMI ONIFADE as the applicants’ counsel, prayed the Tribunal to order Muti-Choice Nigeria to maintain status quo on its planned price increase pending the hearing of the substantive Motion on Notice on the same matter.
The Applicants also joined the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission FCCPC as 2nd Respondents for failing to act on a pending petition before it, filed in May 2020, alleging arbitrary price increase by Multichoice as Abuse of Dominance prohibited by Section 72 (2)(a) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.
Upon hearing, the Tribunal, granting the prayers of the applicants, ORDERED as follows:
- That the 1st Defendant/Respondent (Multichoice Nigeria) is restrained from carrying out impending increase in tariffs and cost of its products and services intended to take effect from 1st April 2022 until the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice already filed before the Tribunal.
- That the 1st Defendant/Respondent is hereby mandated to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
- That all parties in the suit are to appear before the Tribunal on the 11th Day of April 2022 at 10:00 a.m for the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
The 3-Member Panel of the Tribunal consisting of Honorable Thomas E Okosun presiding, Mrs Sola Salako Ajulo and Mr Ibrahim El-Yakubu, thereafter adjourned the matter to April 11 2022, for hearing.
Issued By
Ayotomiwa Ayodele
Communications Officer
On behalf of The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT)