According to a recent press report from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC),
Multichoice a major television service provider in sub-Saharan Africa has just being slammed a fin of N766,242,500 (Seven-Hundred-and-Sixty-Six-Million-Two-Hundred-and-Forty-Two-ThousandFive-Hundred naira) for consumer data breach.
The NDPC, a body committed to safeguarding the digital rights of Nigerian citizens, embarked on a meticulous “investigation, which commenced in the second quarter of 2024, was triggered by suspected breach of privacy rights of Multichoice subscribers and illegal cross-border transfer of personal data of Nigerians.”
Multichoice, the parent company of DSTV and Go Tv entrusted with vast amounts of personal data from its countless subscribers and their associates, was found to have violated the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act). NDPC noted the major issue is the way Multichoice’s handles sensitive information – a clear disregard for the very principles of data privacy.
However, in the NDPC’s findings, the data protection violations were particularly severe. The investigation revealed damning offense: “illegal cross-border transfer of personal data belonging to Nigerian citizens”. This wasn’t merely a procedural oversight; it was a fundamental breach of trust. The depth of Multichoice’s data processing was deemed “intrusive, unfair, unnecessary, and disproportionate” – violating the fundamental right to privacy enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Nigeria, as a sovereign nation, is entitled to protect its citizens and maintain data sovereignty, and Multichoice’s actions had far-reaching implications for the rule of law, national security, and economic growth”.
Meanwhile, this data privacy breach was not an isolated incident for Multichoice. The company had, in the past, faced numerous legal challenges, often related to its business practices and consumer relations. Just recently, in March 2025, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection
Commission (FCCPC) had initiated legal proceedings against Multichoice Nigeria and its CEO, John Ugbe, for violating regulatory directives. Following Multichoice unilaterally increase in its subscription prices for DStv and GOtv, disregarding an FCCPC directive to maintain existing prices pending an examination of the proposed hike.
The FCCPC viewed this as a deliberate attempt to undermine regulatory authority, disrupt market fairness, and deny Nigerian consumers the protection afforded under the law. In fact, a Federal High Court in Abuja even dismissed a suit filed by Multichoice challenging the FCCPC’s intervention, calling it an abuse of court process. The company’s chairman, Adewunmi Ogunsanya, and other top executives were even slated for arraignment in October 2025 over these alleged breaches of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, including charges of failing to appear before the FCCPC and obstructing their investigation.
In light of these damning findings, the NDPC directed Multichoice to take appropriate remedial measures, and was expecting a swift and comprehensive compliance. However, to the
Commission’s dismay, the measures undertaken by Multichoice were deemed “unsatisfactory”. “For want of cooperation, the Commission has directed Multichoice to pay N766,242,500 for violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act.”
Furthermore, the NDPC National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji, declared that all outlets through which Multichoice collects personal data of Nigerian citizens would now be under scrutiny for non-compliance. Any outlet found to be processing personal data in violation of the NDP Act would face severe penalties.
