The court of appeal sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered MultiChoice to sublicense some channels to Metro Digital, pursuant to the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC’s) code.
MultiChoice is the South African owner of the satellite television services, DStv and GOtv — popular subscription-based platforms in Nigeria.
Metro Digital Limited is a multi-channel terrestrial digital satellite service provider in Nigeria.
In the judgement delivered on Wednesday, Olabode Adegbehingbe, the judge, ruled that the lower court erred when it dismissed the suit of the Metrodigital (the appellant) where the appellant proved the existence of the dispute between itself and MultiChoice (the first respondent).
Adegbehingbe also urged NBC (the second respondent) to compel MultiChoice to follow the court order within 21 days.
Metro Digital had approached a federal high court in Port Harcourt after MultiChoice rejected its request for the sublicensing rights to retail some of channels and programmes to its subscribers.
But MultiChoice Nigeria had claimed that channels for which Metro Digital sought sub-licensing rights are not owned by it.
Not satisfied with MultiChoice’s reason for the rejection, the company approached the court of law for redress.
In 2021, the court dismissed Metro Digital’s case, stating that the cable television operator had failed to contradict MultiChoice’s claim of lack of ownership rights/sublicensing rights to the content sought.
