French media giant Canal+ has completed its $2.9 billion takeover of MultiChoice Group, acquiring control of DStv and GOtv operations across Africa as the pay-TV provider confronts severe subscriber losses and regulatory challenges in key markets.
The acquisition, finalized on September 23, 2025, comes amid dramatic market contractions for MultiChoice, particularly in Kenya where DStv subscriptions plummeted by 84.2 percent year-on-year, according to Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) data.
DStv Kenya’s active subscriber base collapsed from 1.19 million in June 2024 to just 188,824 by June 2025, while its sister service GOtv fell 88.7 percent to 314,520 subscribers from 2.79 million over the same period.
The steep declines followed multiple price increases implemented by MultiChoice throughout 2024 and 2025. The Premium package rose from Ksh10,500 to Ksh11,700, while Compact Plus increased from Ksh6,500 to Ksh7,300, representing the fifth price adjustment within two years.
Ghana presents another regulatory flashpoint for the newly acquired company. Communications Minister Samuel Nartey George has demanded a 30 percent price reduction for all DStv packages, threatening license suspension and daily fines of GH₵10,000 for non-compliance.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) announced Tuesday that a stakeholder committee reviewing DStv pricing has received a one-week extension, pushing the final report deadline to Monday, September 29, 2025. The committee was originally mandated to conclude work by September 21.
MultiChoice Ghana has signaled willingness to negotiate, with Canal+ representatives directly contacting Minister George to resolve the pricing dispute. The regulatory standoff began in August when authorities ordered immediate price cuts citing the strengthening cedi and consumer complaints about limited local content.
According to search data, many Ghanaian consumers have criticized DStv’s content offerings as outdated and poor value for money, with Premier League football being the primary retention factor for remaining subscribers.
The subscriber exodus reflects broader challenges facing traditional pay-TV operators across Africa as consumers migrate to cheaper streaming alternatives including Netflix, YouTube Premium, and local competitors like StarTimes. Economic pressures have intensified price sensitivity among households across the continent.
Canal+ now faces the challenge of stabilizing MultiChoice’s operations while addressing regulatory pressure in major markets. The French broadcaster has indicated no immediate changes to packages, pricing, or customer access, maintaining existing decoders and billing systems.
Industry analysts note that Canal+’s acquisition strategy likely anticipates consolidating African media markets while potentially leveraging MultiChoice’s extensive distribution infrastructure for its own content portfolio.
The timing of the takeover coincides with Kenya’s entire pay-TV market contracting by approximately 77 percent, indicating systemic challenges beyond MultiChoice’s specific operational decisions. Rising internet penetration and mobile data accessibility have accelerated the shift toward on-demand streaming services.
MultiChoice Group has reported losing 3.7 million subscribers across Africa over the past two years, with Kenya and Ghana contributing significantly to the decline through both organic churn and regulatory pressure.
The success of Canal+’s investment will depend largely on adapting pricing strategies to local market conditions while maintaining content quality that justifies premium subscription costs compared to emerging digital alternatives.
