Ghana’s standoff with MultiChoice Ghana, operators of DStv, risks damaging the country’s image as a stable and investor-friendly market, according to Founder of the Chief Executives (CEO) Network Ghana, Ernest De-Graft Egyir.
In August 2025, Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, ordered MultiChoice to slash subscription prices by 30% or risk losing its operating licence. The minister argued that Ghanaians pay nearly $83 for DStv Premium, almost three times the Nigerian rate.
But MultiChoice rejected the directive, citing high content rights costs, foreign exchange pressures, and operational expenses.
Egyir warned that the clash reflects a broader concern for investors: regulatory unpredictability. “Minister George’s directive may resonate with consumers in the short term, but it risks damaging Ghana’s reputation as a predictable and investor-friendly market,” he cautioned.
He noted that such political ultimatums heighten investor risk perceptions and weaken Ghana’s competitiveness compared to regional peers like Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire. Without clear competition laws and stronger consumer protection frameworks, he argued, businesses remain vulnerable to arbitrary interventions.
Egyir, who is also the Chief Executive of the Ghana CEO Summit and a Member of the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee, urged the government to pursue reforms instead of confrontation. These include passing competition laws, strengthening independent regulators, and ensuring disputes are handled transparently within legal frameworks.
According to him, Ghana has the opportunity to position itself as a regional leader in digital media and innovation, but only if it strengthens its institutions and fosters fair competition.
