Africa’s Cable King Is Losing Its Grip
MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, has dropped a bombshell: it lost 1.4 million subscribers in just two years.
The bleeding is most severe in Nigeria and other “Rest of Africa” (RoA) regions, where high inflation, currency depreciation, and price hikes have pushed customers to cut the cord.
This isn’t just a subscriber story. It’s a warning shot for traditional Pay TV in Africa. The combination of rising costs, streaming disruption, and consumer fatigue is redefining entertainment on the continent.
Price Hikes Meet Empty Wallets
In its most recent fiscal report, MultiChoice revealed that its RoA base shrunk from 9.3 million in 2022 to 7.9 million by March 2024 a staggering 15% drop.
Why?
Because inflation and forex crises across Africa (especially in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana) are making pay TV feel like a luxury. While DStv Premium subscriptions have ballooned, the average household income hasn’t.
The result? Viewers are fleeing especially those on lower-tier packages.
Netflix, YouTube & Piracy Are Eating Its Lunch
Streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and even TikTok are luring eyeballs away from DStv.
Why pay ₦21,000/month when a shared Netflix plan or free YouTube content is within reach especially on mobile?
Add rampant content piracy, and MultiChoice’s exclusivity no longer has the same value. Younger consumers want on-demand, not channels.
Staff Layoffs & Strategic Pivot
In response, MultiChoice is cutting costs with staff layoffs, shutting underperforming operations, and pushing harder into streaming through Showmax.
However, even Showmax faces stiff competition from global giants with deeper pockets and broader libraries.
Can MultiChoice reinvent itself before it becomes Africa’s next tech cautionary tale?
Juggernut Insight: A Wake-Up Call for Legacy Media
This subscriber exodus is more than a business hiccup it’s a tectonic shift in media consumption.
If Africa’s biggest TV giant is struggling, what hope do smaller players have?
To survive the next wave, legacy media companies must:
- Localize aggressively
- Price competitively
- Embrace mobile-first streaming
- Create partnerships with telcos for data-free content
The future isn’t just TV it’s data-driven, mobile-first, and user-controlled.
