By Suleman Chitera
The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has finally confronted one of the most persistent consumer complaints in the country: the high cost of pay television services offered by MultiChoice Malawi, operators of DStv and GOtv.
Acting Director General of MACRA, Mayamiko Nkoloma, has openly challenged the company to review its pricing structure, arguing that the current subscription fees are beyond the reach of most Malawians whose incomes continue to be eroded by inflation, unemployment and a weakening kwacha.
According to MACRA, Nkoloma raised the issue during a meeting with senior officials from MultiChoice Malawi, sending a clear signal that regulators can no longer ignore public frustration over entertainment services priced as if Malawi were a high-income economy.
For years, Malawians have complained that DStv and GOtv packages are expensive, frequently adjusted upwards, and poorly aligned with local economic realities. In a country where the majority survive on subsistence farming or informal trade, paying monthly subscriptions denominated in foreign-linked pricing models has increasingly become a luxury for the few.
Responding to MACRA’s concerns, MultiChoice Malawi Managing Director, Averess Dhlovu Chella, claimed the company is already trying to set prices that are “fair and affordable.” However, this assurance rings hollow to many consumers who have seen channels reduced, prices increased, and value steadily decline.
More strikingly, MultiChoice used the meeting to request MACRA’s help in facilitating the externalisation of its earnings to its headquarters in South Africa. This request has raised eyebrows, with critics questioning how a company that struggles to make its services affordable locally is prioritising the smooth export of profits out of an economy starved of foreign exchange.
The development exposes a deeper policy dilemma: should Malawi’s regulators prioritise investor comfort or consumer protection? While foreign investment is important, Malawians increasingly expect regulators like MACRA to act decisively in defending the public interest, especially where monopolistic or near-monopolistic service providers are involved.
MACRA’s intervention is therefore welcome, but words alone will not be enough. Malawians will be watching closely to see whether this engagement results in tangible price reductions or whether it will end as another polite conversation with no real relief for consumers.
At a time when households are cutting back on basic necessities, entertainment services must reflect economic reality. The ball is now firmly in MACRA’s court to prove that regulation in Malawi still means something—and that powerful corporations are not beyond accountability.
