ACCRA/PRETORIA – A fierce public battle between the Ghanaian government and South African pay-TV giant MultiChoice has escalated into a potential diplomatic crisis, with Ghana’s Communications Minister, Sam Nartey George, threatening to shut down the company’s operations and South African officials expressing strong displeasure over the handling of the dispute.
The standoff, centered on what Ghana deems “exorbitant” DStv subscription fees, has prompted urgent diplomatic interventions to prevent damage to bilateral trade and investor confidence. The confrontation comes at a time when MultiChoice has been actively expanding its offerings, including recent plans to launch a standalone SuperSport package and beefing up hyperlocal content for its pan-African audience.
The crisis began when the Ministry of Communications demanded that MultiChoice Ghana significantly reduce its subscription fees, citing unfair disparities with prices in other African countries. Minister George issued a 14-day ultimatum, threatening to shutter MultiChoice’s operations if the demand was not met.
In a series of strongly worded public statements, the minister accused the company of disrespecting Ghanaians. “I have no intention to continue tolerating the disrespect to Ghanaians by DStv,” he stated on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Friday as seen in the thread below. “If they have changed their position, then we simply would enforce the regulatory action. No company is above the law.”
He asserted that MultiChoice had initially indicated a willingness to engage, leading the government to pause enforcement. However, after the company later clarified it would not be bound by the government’s strict timeline, the minister vowed to proceed. “Ghana is open for businesses that respect our laws and institutions. Until then, there is nothing for us to meet over. The [National Communications Authority] would carry out enforcement,” he declared.
MultiChoice, for its part, has pushed back against the ultimatum. While hinting at a possible review of its charges, the company attributed its pricing structure to high operational costs, regulatory obligations, and significant investments in anti-piracy measures. The company maintains that this position is non-negotiable,as it is critical for funding its extensive operational expenditures, fulfilling its regulatory obligations, and continuing its service operations within the country.
The very public nature of the dispute has ruffled feathers in Pretoria. Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quarshie, acknowledged that South African officials are deeply unhappy that the matter is playing out in the media.
“It is true, they’ve complained that we are doing this in the public domain. They want it done in the boardroom,” Mr Quarshie revealed in an interview with Joy News’ Blessed Sogah.
A diplomatic tightrope: Balancing public demand and investor confidence
Mr Quarshie assured the public that diplomacy was underway, stating, “The Foreign Affairs Minister has engaged them, and I can assure Ghanaians that diplomacy will resolve this matter.”
The High Commissioner sought to downplay fears of a major diplomatic or trade war, emphasizing that the government’s goal is “quality service at affordable prices” and not confrontation. However, he admitted the minister’s tough stance has put diplomats in a difficult position as they try to attract foreign investment.
“What makes it difficult for some of us as diplomats is that we’ve just gone through orientation, and we’ve been given KPIs… to get people to come and invest in the country,” he explained. “So when it happens like this, it becomes a bit challenging.”
He warned that mishandling the issue could have repercussions beyond MultiChoice, unsettling the broader South African business community in Ghana, which includes telecoms giant MTN, and potentially undermining the spirit of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which is headquartered in Accra.
“South Africa is a big economy, one we need to learn from. We should not make it appear as though we are fighting. That does not bode well for intra-African trade,” he cautioned.
Mr Quarshie called for calm, particularly among Ghanaians living in South Africa who fear possible backlash. “There is no trade war. We are not fighting with South Africa… The interest of the Ghanaian people comes first, but we will also protect the business interest of investors,” he emphasised.
[Watch the full interview with MyJoyOnline.com below]
The outcome of this high-stakes impasse is being closely watched across the continent. It pits a government’s popular mandate to protect consumers against corporate pricing strategies and the delicate art of international diplomacy. For now, the nation waits to see if a last-minute negotiation can avert a shutdown that would black out screens for millions and test the resilience of Ghana-South Africa relations.
