REPS PASS BILL TO COMPEL DSTV, OTHER BROADCAST SERVICE PROVIDERS TO IMPLEMENT PAY-AS-YOU-GO
*Rt. Hon Unyime Idem on the floor of the House Thursday October 31st 2024*
The House of Representatives has passed a bill to compel Digital Satellite Television (DStv) and other direct broadcast satellite service providers to implement Pay-As-You-Go tariffs.
The bill, sponsored by the member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Public Procurement, Rep. Unyime Idem, is to amend the National Broadcasting Commission Act 2004, to empower the NBC to oversee the implementation of pay-As-You-Go tariffs on direct broadcast satellite service providers.
Recall that in the 9th National Assembly, Rep. Idem, who was the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Communications, chaired the Ad-hoc Committee investigating DSTV and other Direct-To-Home Broadcast Satellite Service Providers, with the aim of ensuring implementation of the pay-As-You-Go tariff.
The committee’s investigation revealed the lacuna in the Act and therefore pushed for its amendment to enable the NBC to enforce implementation of the pricing model.
Consequently, the amended law empowers the NBC to “regulate and review through its broadcasting codes the tariff being charged by the Digital Satellite Television Services and other Broadcasting outfits in Nigeria and subscription policy for subscribers.”
It also mandates the commission to “oversee the operations of the operators in the industries, guarantee openness and competition in the industry favorably for the participation of all and sundry, promote efficiency and expand opportunities for participation of local investors in the industry without downplaying the active foreign investment, assist the local operators in the industry to attain and compete favorably, set and review the broadcasting code and operational policy inclusive of its pricing and charged tariff from time to time to allow for flexible players in the industry.”
The NBC also has the powers to “review the broadcasting rights of every Digital Satellite Broadcast industry from time to time to create room for flexible practice in the industry, and also reserve the sole right to oversee the implementation of this process without any interference.”
Addressing journalists after plenary, Rep. Idem said “the amended NBC law will break the monopoly that some industry players like the DStv have enjoyed and will open the space for other investors.”
“I am happy that we’ve been able to bring an end to the unnecessary exploitation of Nigerians by the Service Providers. Going forward, Nigerians will get value for their money.”
The bill is now awaiting concurrence by the Senate and consequent assent by President Bola Tinubu, for effective implementation.
Pay-as-you-go is a pricing model where customers are charged for products or services according to their usage and needs.
