Sam George, the Communication Minister, Digital Technology and Innovations, has issued an ultimatum to MultiChoice Ghana, operators of DStv.
Ghana’s communication minister has warned DStv that their transmissions will be shut down by September 6 if there is no resolution in complying with the key regulatory order.
Sam George imposed a GHC10,000 daily fine on DStv on August 15, for failing to submit pricing data requested under the Electronic Communications Act (ECA).
According to reports, the sanction took effect today, Friday, August 15, 2025.
Sam George emphasised that the fine is a legal requirement under the ECA.
“The law is clear, and we will enforce it. If necessary, we can freeze accounts to protect consumer interests”, he said.
“If not, we expect DSTV to comply with our directive to make subscriptions more affordable,” he noted.
The minister revealed that the pricing data was needed to facilitate discussions on lowering subscription fees for Ghanaian customers.
He noted that the data will include a detailed breakdown of bouquet prices, tax components, and comparisons with at least six other African markets.
Speaking on Citi Eyewitness News on Friday, August 15, Sam George stated, “They said they wanted to provide a consolidated response, and I asked what that meant. They explained that they wanted to submit the information alongside a response to the 30-day suspension notice. The two are not connected in any way.
The suspension notice is saying that they failed to apply to the first request of the Ministry, and per the terms of their licence, we have the power to suspend your licence in the interest of the public or on national security grounds. So, we invoked that clause and suspended it.
While they seek to consolidate us, I will enforce the laws of the land. We have fined them GHC10,000. If on the 6th of September there is no resolution, we will stop any transmission of DStv in the country,” he added.
In addition, Sam George, in an earlier interview, detailed that MultiChoice, the operator of DStv Ghana, is not willing to drop its prices by even one cent.
It will be recalled that Sam George, speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Friday, August 1, announced MultiChoice broadcast license will be suspended by the National Communications Authority (NCA) if they fail to reduce subscription prices by August 7, 2025.
The NCA has subsequently written to MultiChoice DStv, issuing a 30-day notice to suspend the DStv broadcasting licence.
Sam George on JOY FM Super Morning Show on August 12, 2025, broke down the Impasse with DStv.
He stated, “I had made a request for 30%. There’s a reason behind the 30%. In April this year, MultiChoice increased their prices by 15%… at that time, the cedi had appreciated by about 10% against the dollar… So there was absolutely no justification for that 15%. So I’m reversing that 15% and then demanding a further 15% for the Ghanaian people.
They have said to me that they have a position we are not going to drop by even one cent. My advice to businesses is that you don’t fight your regulator”.
“They wrote me a nine-page letter with six graphs and bar charts explaining to me the instability of Ghana’s economy and how our cedi appreciation cannot be trusted to be sustainable,” he recounted with disbelief.
“I wrote back to them and asked them, ‘Since when did MultiChoice become an economic forecasting institution?’ … and sent them links from the IMF, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s on the future outlook of Ghana’s economy”, he added.
Sam George further revealed that DStv wrote to NCA without copying him in the message, stating they would not comply with his directive for a price reduction in subscription prices.
The sector minister fumed, “They wrote to my regulator, the NCA [National Communications Authority], asking the NCA to write to them confirming that the NCA would not comply with my directive as minister… You write to my regulator; you don’t copy me”.
“When you say you have a low subscription in Ghana, it’s because your prices are not uniform and have led to cross-border piracy on your platform”, he charged.
Sam George further cited MultiChoice court cases in Malawi and in Nigeria, which led to a price drop.
“In Malawi, in 2023… they just shut them down… MultiChoice went to court, lost the case, and four months later came back, offered one week free… and dropped the prices. In Liberia… they slashed the premium package by $30. In Nigeria in 2024… the Nigerian House of Reps passed an instruction prohibiting the increases”, he detailed.
Sam George further announced that Canal+ has reached out to him, and he made Ghana’s request clear to them.
Canal+ has acquired MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv, in a $3 billion deal, which will give it control over DStv and GOtv.
Sam George added, “Canal+ has reached out and I’ve made it clear to them if they want to come into Ghana and operate… this is our request. Canal Plus’s attitude is light-years more positive than that of MultiChoice”.
Meanwhile, the countdown is on and ticking towards the September 6 deadline, with many Ghanaians patiently waiting to see how the DStv subscription prices will be resolved.