Amid the impasse on DSTV pricing, policy think tank IMANI Africa is urging the National Communications Authority (NCA) to turn its 30-day ultimatum to MultiChoice into a listening session for everyone who has a stake in Ghana’s pay-TV future.
In other words, think of it as a town hall meeting for the future of pay-tv in Ghana, and you won’t be wrong.
The call follows the never-ending exchanges between the Minister for Communications, Samuel Nartey George, and MultiChoice over subscription prices.
Interestingly, what began as a dispute over tariffs has now evolved into a bigger situation, roping in the diplomats of Ghana and South Africa in a bid to address the situation.
The outstanding question many are asking is “how does Ghana fairly manage pricing and competition in regulated markets without eroding investor confidence?”
The public policy think tank believes the answer lies in transparency and dialogue, not ultimatums.
In its Criticality Analysis of Governance and Economic Issues, the think tank proposed that the NCA invite consumer groups, telecom economists, and DSTV representatives into the room to lay bare their numbers, cost models, tax burdens, and pricing strategies.
“IMANI argues that the way forward is structured dialogue rather than brinkmanship. IMANI recommends that the NCA convert its 30-day cure window into a series of public-interest hearings, inviting consumer groups, telecom economists, and DSTV representatives to present their data, cost models, and proposals,” it noted.
For the CSO, such hearings would bring sunlight into a dark room and give consumers a voice, ensure regulators are accountable, and compel DSTV to show good faith by explaining its pricing decisions.
The stakes, IMANI warns, go beyond whether subscribers pay more or less for the English Premier League. Mishandling the dispute could send negative signals to investors at a time when Ghana is branding itself as a digital hub for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“Such hearings would promote consensus-building, helping to narrow differences between the parties. For DSTV, IMANI urges more openness and goodwill, participating in an independent tariff review panel alongside regulators,” the think tank added.
To keep the process fair, IMANI has suggested that an independent tariff review panel benchmark DSTV’s packages against prices in peer countries, while also considering Ghana’s unique tax and compliance landscape.
Future adjustments, the group adds, should be tied to clear economic indicators such as inflation or the exchange rate, so that pricing is predictable, not arbitrary.
Moreover, the regulator was urged to resist the temptation to politicize every subscriber complaint. For DSTV, the challenge is to shed its image as a distant multinational and instead show commercial maturity by engaging openly with Ghanaians.
A joint communiqué committing to consumer-friendly tariffs and quarterly dialogue sessions, IMANI argues, could mark a turning point in restoring trust in Ghana’s digital economy.
This public hearing dialogue could mean more than just fairer bills for subscribers across the nooks and crannies of the country. It could mean finally having a seat at the table where decisions about their viewing costs and their wallets are made.
