MultiChoice Nigeria turns 20; denies that the pay-TV giant is killing competition and says only the strong will survive.

MultiChoice Nigeria which is turning 20 years old next month, denies that the pay-TV giant is killing competition in the pay-TV sector and says the market sector is tough and that only the strong will survive.

John Ugbe, the managing director of MultiChoice Nigeria spoke last week in Lagos, Nigeria at the Nigerian South African Chamber of Commerce Breakfast and told attendees that the pay-TV sector remains "tough terrain".

According to John Ugbe content cost and licensing rights of content keeps rising every year, which means that for pay-TV operators "only the willful and intelligent will survive".

He said that MultiChoice was one of the first South African companies to invest in Nigeria two decades ago when other firms were reluctant. MultiChoice Nigeria started as a joint venture between Adewunmi Ogunsanya and MultiChoice Africa and has since grown to offer 5 bouquets in that nation.

John Ugbe said that MultiChoice Nigeria will continue to invest in local TV content, television industry infrastructure as well as community projects.