By Sallieu S Kanu
Transnational Sierra Leone limited, an accredited DStv Dealer, on Thursday, March 16, 2023, announced a price reduction on the monthly subscriptions across all DStv Sierra Leone bouquets.
The Chief Executive Officer of Transnational SL/DStv Sierra Leone, Natalia Abboud said, “Starting April 1, Sierra Leoneans will be able to enjoy their favorite shows and the highest quality with discounts ranging between 30 to 50 percent.”
The price adjustments affecting Sierra Leone are as stated below (excluding GST): Premium current price is US82.00, new price is US$52.17; Compact Plus current price is US53.00 and the new price is US30.43; and compact new price is US$25.00 and the new price US$19.13 etc.
“This comes at a much-needed time. A time where Sierra Leoneans have been feeling the pain economically. A time of uncertainty and yet, our ongoing commitment to Sierra Leone is strong and unwavering,” she said.
The Chief Executive Officer said that for over 30 years, Transnational DStv has worked tireless to ensure that Sierra Leoneans have access to the best entertainment on the African continent. “As a result, DStv is a household name and we shall continue to invest as we keep faith in the potential of the Sierra Leonean market,” she said.
“However, we cannot do this on our own. For many years our market has been flooded with illegal primarily Nigerian DStv decoders that continue to be smuggled into the country. The incidence of cross-border smuggling and illicit trade is a plague on our country as it siphons away much needed revenue to an external jurisdiction, lending itself to tax evasion and the enrichment of few unethical business people at the expense of the Sierra Leonean.”
she said that this is not only felt by their company but also by many others in the private sector as local taxpaying companies are paying the price for being responsible. “We can never compete against illegal businesses,” she said.
“Now more than ever we need to stand by legitimate Sierra Leonean companies and we
encourage all Sierra Leoneans to help us fight piracy.”
Chairman of DStv Sierra Leone Dr Adonis Abboud said that the market is flooded with decoders from Nigeria. He said the decoders are being smuggled into country with them paying import duties and goods and Services Tax (GST). “We keep on improving but it is getting difficult every day,” he said.
The smuggling of decoders into the country has resulted in the DStv Sierra Leone losing 60 percent of its market share causing huge loss in government revenue in taxes.