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Nigerian subscribers to MultiChoice’s DStv and GOtv services have reported delays in the activation of their subscriptions after making payments, creating frustration for football fans eager to watch the return of the English Premier League.
The complaints emerged across the DStv Nigeria and GOtv Nigeria social-media platforms on Friday, August 21, 2026, as the 2026/27 Premier League season got underway. Some customers said their payments remained pending for hours, leaving their accounts inactive despite successful debits.
Subscribers Report Payment and Activation Problems
Several customers took to social media to seek assistance after their subscriptions failed to reflect.
One subscriber reported paying ₦36,000 for a DStv Compact Plus package, but said the payment continued to show as processing on the platform.
Another customer said a payment made at 5:44 p.m. had still not activated the subscription, while others complained that their payments were missing from both the application and television service.
Some subscribers also reported difficulties reaching MultiChoice through its digital support channels, including the app and WhatsApp support.
Football Fans Feel the Pressure
The timing of the disruption intensified the complaints.
The reported activation problems coincided with the return of the English Premier League for the 2026/27 season, leaving subscribers concerned about missing matches after paying specifically to regain access to football programming.
One customer said he had subscribed shortly before an Arsenal match but remained unable to access his service.
The issue therefore became more than a routine payment complaint for affected customers, with football fans facing the possibility of missing live matches while waiting for their subscriptions to become active.
MultiChoice Yet to Explain the Disruption
As of the time of the report, MultiChoice Nigeria had not issued an official explanation for the reported activation delays or confirmed whether the complaints were connected to a wider technical problem affecting DStv and GOtv services.
The absence of an immediate explanation has left customers relying largely on social-media complaints and individual responses while waiting for their subscriptions to be restored.
Comes Amid Subscriber Pressure
The latest incident adds to the broader challenges facing MultiChoice’s pay-TV business in Nigeria.
The company has faced pressure on its subscriber base as consumers contend with difficult economic conditions and rising household expenses.
Nairametrics previously reported that MultiChoice Nigeria lost 243,000 DStv and GOtv subscribers between April and September 2024, contributing significantly to subscriber losses across its Rest of Africa operations during the period.
The Bigger Picture
The reported activation delays highlight the importance of reliable payment and customer-support infrastructure for subscription-based digital services.
For DStv and GOtv, the timing is particularly sensitive because major sporting events can trigger a surge in subscription renewals and upgrades. Any disruption during such periods can quickly translate into widespread customer frustration.
While it remains unclear whether Friday’s complaints resulted from a temporary technical issue or a broader systems problem, affected subscribers are now waiting for MultiChoice to resolve the activation difficulties and provide clarity on what caused the disruption.
For a company whose service depends heavily on customers paying promptly for continued access, ensuring that successful payments translate into near-immediate activation is critical to maintaining customer confidence.
