The deal, ratified by the South African Competition Tribunal, marks a historic inflexion point in the region’s media industry.With completion expected by October 8, 2025, Canal+ now commands a subscriber base of over 14.5 million across 50 African nations, solidifying its status as a dominant force in the global south’s audiovisual economy.
“This represents a strategic turning point for our company,” remarked Maxime Saada, Chairman and CEO of Canal+. “Our ambition is to craft a unified, multilingual media ecosystem, merging Canal+’s French-language content with MultiChoice’s English and Portuguese offerings, while significantly scaling up investments in African storytelling.”
A subsidiary of the French conglomerate Vivendi SE, Canal+ initiated its acquisition strategy in 2020, gradually amassing a 45% stake through market manoeuvres before launching its final bid.This full buyout not only extends the group’s footprint in emerging markets but also reinforces its capacity to contend with global streaming titans like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.
As part of its commitment to South African regulatory frameworks, Canal+ has pledged a R26 billion (approximately $1.4 billion) investment over the next three years.
The funding is earmarked to enhance local content creation, preserve MultiChoice’s headquarters in South Africa, protect existing jobs, and accelerate transformation and diversity initiatives.Included in the acquisition are MultiChoice’s prized media assets, SuperSport, Africa Magic, M-Net, Showmax, and DStv Media Sales, positioning Canal+ as a formidable pan-African content powerhouse.
Industry analysts suggest the move heralds an era of intensified media consolidation across Sub-Saharan Africa, with far-reaching implications for digital infrastructure, cultural export, and the global proliferation of African narratives.
