Sam George to brief nation on DSTV pricing talks tomorrow

The Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, will tomorrow brief the nation on ongoing negotiations over DSTV subscription fees in Ghana.

The press briefing, scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the Ministry’s conference room, will focus on the outcome of the work of a stakeholder committee established earlier this month to address public concerns about DSTV charges.

The session will also be streamed live on the Ministry’s social media platforms.

The committee, chaired by the Minister himself, was inaugurated on September 8, 2025, with a mandate to reach a common position on subscription pricing and develop a roadmap to tackle cross-border piracy of DSTV services from Nigeria into Ghana.

In a statement last week, the National Communications Authority (NCA) confirmed that the committee had made progress but required additional time.

“Whilst the Committee has made significant progress, it has requested an extension of one week to complete its work, which extension has been granted by the Honourable Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations,” the NCA noted.

According to the Authority, the committee’s work focuses on two objectives: achieving a shared understanding of DSTV pricing for Ghana and agreeing on structured, commercially viable measures to address pricing concerns; and creating a roadmap to curb piracy of DSTV decoders and services from Nigeria.

The negotiations follow months of disputes between Multichoice Ghana, the operator of DSTV, and the Ministry.

The Minister has repeatedly criticized what he described as disproportionately high subscription fees in Ghana compared to Nigeria and South Africa.

Multichoice, however, has defended its pricing model, insisting that Ghana’s taxes, operational costs, and market conditions differ significantly from those in other countries.

The company has also warned that steep price cuts could undermine service quality and threaten jobs.

Despite these arguments, the Ministry has pressed for subscription reductions, emphasizing affordability for ordinary Ghanaian households.

The creation of the stakeholder committee was seen as a middle-ground approach to resolve the impasse.

The committee’s final report is expected to be presented at Monday’s briefing, marking a crucial step in efforts to address the long-standing dispute between Multichoice and the Communications Ministry over DSTV subscription costs in Ghana.