Senate summons DSTV over billing controversy
Senate President Questions DSTV Billing Practices in Nigeria
Senate President Godswill Akpabio expressed concerns on Wednesday regarding the billing practices of DSTV, specifically addressing the issue of subscribers losing days on their service even when it is not in use.
During a plenary session, Akpabio compared DSTV policies in Nigeria with those in South Africa. He noted that in South Africa, when a subscriber travels for an extended period, their account does not deplete. “If you travel for one month, two months, your card will not run,” he stated.
In contrast, Akpabio explained that in Nigeria, subscriptions diminish even if the service is not active. “Once you pay, if you travel for one week or two weeks, by the time you come back, it has gone down,” he said, characterizing this practice as akin to charging users on a daily basis for unused service.
The Senate President highlighted the impact of these practices on Nigerian families who may travel for holidays only to find their subscriptions depleted upon their return. He drew a parallel with electricity billing, noting that, “You go to communities where transformers have stopped working for a year, yet people are still receiving monthly bills.”
Akpabio emphasized the need for transparency in billing, urging the chairman of the Senate communications committee to invite DSTV representatives to provide clarification on their practices. “We need to invite DSTV… Nigerians should not pay for services they are not using,” he asserted.
He then inquired about the communications committee’s leadership to facilitate this discussion, reiterating the importance of addressing the concerns of Nigerian consumers.
