Ghanaians divided over DStv upgrades as government ramps up anti-piracy war
The article says Ghana has shifted its response to pay TV piracy from a routine copyright issue into a national economic security priority, aiming to dismantle the infrastructure behind illegal streaming. It frames the goal as protecting tax revenue and the local creative sector, following an update from the National Communications Authority dated December 31, 2025.
It explains the backdrop as a prolonged dispute over DStv pricing, after major price rises in 2024 and again in April 2025. The standoff peaked in August 2025 with threats of licence suspension and daily fines, then moved to a compromise on October 1, 2025 where customers were upgraded to higher tier content without paying higher prices.
Public reaction is described as split. Some viewers see the upgrade as real relief, while others argue the core issue is affordability and say they will stick with illegal boxes unless prices drop sharply. The piece also highlights price gaps versus neighbouring countries as a driver of cross border decoder smuggling and grey market demand.
On enforcement, it describes a multi agency working group led by the ministry and involving bodies including customs, police, NITA, the Ghana Domain Name Registry, and the Cybersecurity Authority. It also cites claims that DStv deactivated nearly one million ghost boxes as part of a broader crackdown.
Finally, it points to planned legal changes via the National Communications Authority Bill 2025 and the Electronic Communications Bill 2025, which would expand powers for rapid blocking of illicit domains and IP addresses, while also warning that illegal streaming exposes users to malware and phishing.
