The satellite television landscape in Nigeria has undergone significant changes in recent months. Amid consistent price hikes for its pay TV products, DSTV and GoTV, Multichoice has faced a formidable challenge from the indigenous company, Metro Digital Limited, which launched the more affordable Silver Lake Television (SLTV).
SLTV quickly became the most talked-about Pay TV product in Nigeria, as many subscribers switched from DSTV to SLTV. The main attraction was SLTV’s affordability, offering essential channels at much lower prices. While DSTV’s highest monthly premium package costs 37,000 naira, SLTV’s top package is only 5,000 naira, equivalent to DSTV’s second cheapest package, DSTV Yanga.
Multichoice’s recent report indicated a loss of 18 percent of its Nigerian users by March, with likely further losses from March to June, coinciding with the peak of the SLTV craze. However, as months passed, users began to voice concerns about SLTV’s quality, particularly for live events like football matches. The main issues were poor picture quality and a one-minute delay on premium channels.
Emmanuel Isijola, a user on Twitter, shared his disappointment: “If you can afford DSTV, please do. SLTV isn’t HD, has about a 1-minute delay on live broadcasts, and channels freeze often. You have to restart the decoder to fix it. I used it and then went back to DSTV for a quality viewing experience.”
Another user, Christian, acknowledged the issues but considered SLTV a reasonable trade-off for its lower cost. “SLTV Update. Champions League football. 1 minute slower than normal time. Channel showing it is not HD. Not bad for paying 20 percent of what you would’ve paid with DSTV,” he said.
This means that while watching a live football game, users might hear shouts of “goal” a minute before seeing it on their screens, raising questions about whether it can still be considered live TV. Additionally, concerns about SLTV potentially infringing on DSTV’s copyright have surfaced, particularly regarding premium channels like SuperSport.
Adebayo Oluwatoyin voiced these concerns: “I think SLTV will be blocked by DSTV very soon because they show exactly the same content as DSTV. It seems like Multichoice is selling them their rights. I wouldn’t recommend getting the decoder just yet because DSTV could pull the rug at any time.”
Another Twitter user, Othell Yarwick, criticized the situation as indicative of a broader issue with intellectual property rights in Nigeria. “SLTV episode is an indictment on the nation and its people. It shows our natural disposition to be dubious,” he said.
However, Metro Digital Limited’s Managing Director, Dr. Ifeanyi Nwafor, has refuted claims of copyright infringement. According to a Premium Times report, he insisted that the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has outlawed content exclusivity in Nigeria as stipulated in the amended NBC code.
“Paid TV industry is always a major part of the economy of any nation, and the Nigerian government has addressed this by amending the NBC Code to outlaw exclusivity. This change encourages more indigenous players to enter the industry,” Dr. Nwafor stated.
The 6th NBC code makes content exclusivity illegal, compelling content sub-licensing and aiming to control sub-licensing prices. This regulation aims to democratize content access and support the local industry. However, its introduction led to concerns from global streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon, and ultimately, iROKOTV exited the Nigerian market citing regulatory and economic challenges.