In a major shake-up of Africa’s media landscape, French media giant Canal+ has officially acquired 100% ownership of MultiChoice Group, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, in a deal valued at $3 billion (55 billion rand).
The acquisition was greenlit by South Africa’s Competition Tribunal on Wednesday, July 23, paving the way for full completion by October 8, 2025. Canal+, which previously held a 45% stake, secured the remaining 55% through a mandatory buyout offer made in 2023 at 125 rand per share.
Conditions for Approval
The Tribunal’s approval came with strict public interest conditions to safeguard South Africa’s media sovereignty:
- MultiChoice will retain its headquarters in South Africa.
- Continued investment in local content and sports broadcasting.
- Strong backing for South African content creators and media professionals.
Strategic Move into Africa
Calling the acquisition “transformative,” Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada stated:
“The combined group will benefit from enhanced scale, greater exposure to high-growth markets and the ability to deliver meaningful synergies.”
Canal+, already active in 25 African countries with over 8 million subscribers, now adds MultiChoice’s 14.5 million subscribers across 50 sub-Saharan countries, significantly strengthening its pan-African footprint.
This deal brings together French, English, and Portuguese content portfolios, creating a multilingual pay-TV powerhouse capable of serving Africa’s diverse cultural and linguistic markets.
What This Means for Africa
For MultiChoice, the acquisition signals new financial strength and strategic direction. The South African broadcaster is expected to benefit from:
- Fresh capital injection.
- Upgrades in broadcast technology.
- Accelerated digital transformation.
- Expanded investment in locally produced entertainment and sports.
Canal+ has pledged to invest around 26 billion rand over the next three years into public interest initiatives, aligning with the Tribunal’s conditions and reinforcing its commitment to African storytelling and talent development.
Outlook
In a joint statement, Canal+ and MultiChoice emphasized:
“We will maintain funding for South African general entertainment and sports content, providing local content creators with a strong foundation for future success.”
Industry watchers say this merger could reshape the pay-TV industry across Africa, especially as Canal+ pushes toward a goal of reaching 50 to 100 million subscribers continent-wide.
With this move, Canal+ not only extends its global influence but also deepens its investment in Africa’s fast-growing media and entertainment sector, which continues to attract attention from major global players.
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