Broadcasting
Content piracy: A complex web of causes
By Frikkie Jonker, director of broadcast cybersecurity and anti-piracy at Irdeto, a partner of Multichoice Africa.
Content piracy is acknowledged as having enormously negative social impacts. It is a type of global organised crime that undermines the creative sector. However, what is not often discussed is what drives content piracy. What leads people to steal content?
Frikkie Jonker
Unfortunately, the African continent is something of a global dumping ground for inferior products. This is practised in the area of legitimate trade, but also in the criminal underworld. Outdated regulations, inefficient law enforcement, bribery and corruption all play a role in this.
Despite this, African authorities are doing a heroic job fighting cybercrime and content piracy. There have been huge successes in the prosecution of content piracy operations.
Criminal risk assessments
To understand why Africa becomes a target for piracy, it is useful to look at things from the perspective of a global criminal syndicate. They will often follow the path of least resistance – and for better or worse, Africa is attractive territory.
When it comes to content piracy, Africa has low barriers to entry, and an almost limitless demand for cheap content.
In terms of penetration success – circumventing cybersecurity measures – they may achieve a success rate of 70%, which compares favourably with other territories. This – coupled with Africa’s billion-strong population – is a key supply driver of content piracy.
From the demand side, a potential user of content piracy will do a similar assessment. There would be the risk of possible prosecution. Of being named and shamed. A risk of downloading viruses and malware onto their devices… However, despite all of this, they may choose to take that risk.
There may be a sense that content piracy is a relatively minor crime, compared to crimes such as murder, rape and grand corruption. In reality, though, content piracy is not a minor crime.
Changing attitudes
Unfortunately, where there are few consequences, the barriers to using stolen content are so much lower.
Changing people’s attitude to the crime of content piracy has to be an industry-wide campaign. The creative industry must unite and address the issue collectively – as they have done through pan-African initiatives like Partners Against Piracy.
Government attitudes, too, are critically important. Where a government sees content piracy as an insignificant issue, they are allowing the sabotage of their own country’s creative and entertainment sector.
But there are further impacts. When leading content businesses consider entering the African market, they need the reassurance that their content rights will be protected. Where a country is unable to provide such guarantees, the investments do not materialise.
Hi-tech enforcement
Fortunately, thanks to recent advances in AI, automation, watermarking and digital tracing capabilities, it is now possible to track down and prosecute consumers of pirated content rapidly, accurately and at scale.
In the UK, for example, police recently arrested as many as 2 000 people who were illegally viewing streams of English Premier League football matches. Similar cases are being pursued in Africa.
Piracy is often a multi-level operation, with global and regional headquarters, as well as regional resellers. It is now also possible for content owners and police to identify criminals at every level of these operations, as well as those who consume pirated content.
Economic impacts
Many people believe they simply cannot afford to pay for content. Entertainment often takes a back seat behind the need to put food on the table.
To some extent, premium content is a luxury, so one can understand this perception. However, pricing innovation by content platforms has led to entertainment packages at almost every price point. Financial difficulty is no longer an excuse for content piracy.
Prosecuting content piracy is not simply a harsh clampdown that spoils everyone’s fun. The war on content piracy has very real benefits – for everyone.
It protects the livelihoods of creators, producers and rightsholders, ensuring that there can be more content in the future.
A content sector such as pay-TV has extremely tight margins. Up to 80% of revenue generated goes into producing and securing content. Given these margins, any content theft threatens the viability of the entire industry.
Major productions across Africa – in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, and many other countries – sustain thousands of jobs – in production, performance, set and costume design, all the way through to catering, transport and accommodation. The war on piracy is a war to protect these jobs.
In the case of sports events, it is largely the legitimate allocation of broadcast rights that ensures modern professional sport can exist in the first place.
Another benefit of stopping piracy is that it preserves the support ecosystem that maintains trust in content platforms and their ongoing viability. In the legal economy, people invest in people – in their entertainment, their livelihoods and their peace of mind. Enriching their lives. By subscribing to legal content, legal users support this ecosystem.
The reasons for content piracy are complex. But the benefits of a creative economy free of piracy are plain to see. Content entertains, it nurtures, it captures society’s imagination. It helps build local culture. Hence the battle against piracy: to preserve and grow this remarkable industry.
DStv, owned by MultiChoice, has lost far more subscribers in South Africa in the last two years than it appears from its reporting, according to Moneyweb.
According to the group, its “active” subscriber base declined from eight million on 31 March 2023 to seven million on 31 March 2025.
The drop in subscribers accelerated from 400 000 in the prior year to 600 000 last year.
However, this is only the specific number of active customers on that date.
DStv is very aggressive in ensuring that customers are active at the end of March each year (and at the end of September) given its financial reporting.
It introduced a new metric in FY21 which measures customers who had an active subscription at any point within the 90 days before the reporting date.
On this measure, its base dropped from 9.3 million in March 2023 to 7.9 million in March 2025, equal to 1.4 million.
The declines are across the board in its premium, mid-market and mass market segment, but the first two are leading with drops of 22% to 23% each.
The premium segment includes the Premium and Compact Plus packages, while mid-market comprises its Compact and Commercial packages.
The mass market segment has seen an 11% decrease in subscribers over the last two years.
In its rest of Africa business, the decline on the 90-day active metric is even worse. Here, the number of subscribers has dropped from 14.2 million in March 2023 to 10.7 million in March 2025.
This is a 25% decline, or 3.5 million subscribers. In this business, the premium segment is flat over two years, mid-market is down 14% and mass market by 29%.
Its business in Nigeria continues to battle currency devaluation, with its share of subscription revenue across the African operations dropping from 44% in FY23 to just 26% in FY25.
In rand terms, subscription revenue in Nigeria is down from R9.1 billion two years ago to R3.5 billion now.
The group took a R2.8 billion foreign exchange hit in Nigeria, with the naira depreciating 44%.
This, coupled with other forex impacts, saw its R1.3 billion reported trading profit in Africa swing to a R800 million loss.
Somehow it tries to illustrate a R2.3 billion “organic” profit, before the currency impacts.
Price increases (averages of 5.6% in 2023 and 5.7% in 2024) were not enough to offset the subscriber declines.
Subscription revenue in South Africa has declined from R27.3 billion in FY23 to R25.7 billion in the year to end March 2025.
Not only is the macro-economic environment weighing on consumers, it also highlights the impact of “piracy, streaming options and social media”.
By Seye Folajimi
I start each day with one goal: to be as efficient and focused as possible. A developer’s life is full of interruptions, and without good time management, it’s easy to fall behind. As a Backend Engineer at Moniepoint, I’ve assembled the toolkit that helps me and I believe by extension any technical professional to deliver results consistently.
In this feature article, I’ll share the tools and habits that have practically multiplied my productivity and sharpened my focus on the job.
My Daily Toolbox
I rely on a handful of core tools every day. IntelliJ IDEA and Visual Studio Code are my primary editors: IntelliJ for heavy backend work (it’s packed with features) and VS Code for quick edits or scripting. When testing APIs or debugging endpoints, Postman is indispensable for sending requests and saving environments. For spotting code or configuration differences, I often paste text into Diffchecker.com and let it highlight the changes. And for database work, MySQL Workbench provides a visual SQL editor and schema designer that saves me a ton of time. Dear professional, using the right tool for each task means fewer context switches and a smoother workflow.
Productivity Strategies That Power My Workflow
Beyond raw tools, I use structured habits to stay on track. I break the day into focused blocks and assign each chunk to an activity (coding, reviews, meetings, etc.). This time-blocking approach improves focus by letting me give my full attention to one task at a time. I also apply the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks by urgency and importance; this ensures I tackle critical work first. Rather than flitting between emails, calls, and code, I batch similar tasks into dedicated slots. Some of my core techniques include:
Time Blocking: I assign specific blocks of time for coding, meetings, code reviews, and so on. This means I can dive deep into one task without switching contexts. (For example, I often use 25-minute sprints followed by a 5-minute break – the classic Pomodoro cycle – to keep my mind sharp.)
Prioritization (Eisenhower Matrix): Each morning I list my tasks and sort them by urgency vs importance. The Matrix helps me “do first” what truly matters and “delegate or drop” low-value items. This clarity prevents me from getting bogged down by busywork.
Automation: Whenever I catch myself doing something repetitive, I stop and ask, “Can I script this?” Whether it’s a shell script for routine commands or a CI/CD pipeline for deployment, automation frees up hours. Reducing manual repetition lets me focus on more critical work. Even simple automations (backups, report generation, test harnesses) add up to big time savings.
Notification Discipline: I turn off unnecessary notifications and check email/Slack only at scheduled times. By minimizing interruptions, I stay “in the zone” longer and preserve my cognitive energy.
Building My Custom Focus Extension: The Hot Gate
I even took matters into my own hands by coding a productivity tool from scratch, i called it “THE HOT GATE” .
The “Hot Gate” refers to the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE, a famous event in Greek history. It’s where King Leonidas of Sparta and a small force of Greeks (famously 300 Spartans) held off the vast Persian army of Xerxes I for several days.
The extension:
Blocks distracting websites during deep work sessions.
Organizes tabs to reduce clutter.
Unlocks distractions only during breaks.
I built it using JavaScript and browser APIs. One limitation: I can still turn it off manually. I’m considering adding a restriction to prevent that—but it’s still a local extension. Maybe someday I’ll publish it.
Breaks and Rewards
I’ve learned that smart breaks actually boost productivity. I take 2–4 minute strolls every hour, prompted by reminders from our infrastructure team. It’s refreshing and clears my head.
After big wins (like deploying a major feature or solving a tough bug), I reward myself—whether it’s a nice meal, a movie night, or just a chat with friends. These rewards keep me motivated and prevent burnout.
Wrapping Up
In my experience, combining the right tools with disciplined habits is what unlocks consistent high performance.
I’m constantly refining my setup—automating repetitive tasks, organizing my schedule better, and building systems that help me stay in the zone.
At Moniepoint and beyond, delivering quickly and reliably takes more than just code. It takes systems thinking, self-awareness, and the discipline to evolve your workflow over time.
By adopting these practices, I’ve become both more productive and more fulfilled. And I’m hoping the story is same or at least similar for you after reading this.
Seye Folajimi is a backend engineer with Africa’s fastest growing financial institution, Moniepoint Inc.
This summer, London’s West End will transform into a vibrant showcase of African excellence as TALES (The African Lifestyle Experience) returns with its most ambitious edition yet: Reimagine 2025.
A Luxury Cultural Experience
Hosted at Luxury Promise, 28 Cavendish Square, just off Oxford Street, the event will run from July 25 to August 3, 2025, offering ten days of curated experiences, fashion-forward storytelling, and cultural immersion.
With over 70 curated brands spanning fashion, beauty, art, music, and home décor, TALES 2025 will spotlight Africa’s brightest creative talents and celebrate craftsmanship across the diaspora.
Key Highlights
- Exclusive African Fashion & Craftsmanship Discover one-of-a-kind pieces, from bold fashion in traditional textiles like Aso Oke, Adinkra, and Bantu, to luxury handmade beauty products and bespoke interiors.
- Fireside Chats with Industry Icons Intimate conversations with trailblazers and tastemakers exploring the future of African entrepreneurship, culture, and design.
- Kidpreneur x The Veteran A standout feature returns, bridging generations of innovation by spotlighting rising Gen Z entrepreneurs alongside industry legends like Gloria Ije Anyaehie-Coker, founder of GIA1 Fashion.
- Exclusive Travel Offer with Air Peace TALES is partnering with Air Peace to offer a 15% flight base fare discount for brands and attendees flying to London, strengthening connections within the diaspora.
A Global Movement Powered by Bellafricana
Backed by Bellafricana, a platform empowering African creative entrepreneurs across 18+ countries, TALES champions authentic African stories, craftsmanship, and visibility on the world stage.
Supported by the City of Westminster
The City of Westminster proudly supports TALES 2025, reinforcing London’s commitment to diversity, innovation, and inclusive cultural celebration. The event will be featured across Oxford Street’s Instagram and website, ensuring maximum visibility.
Why It Matters
Following the runaway success of TALES 2024, which featured 40 brands and attracted a global audience, Reimagine 2025 raises the bar. As London’s fashion and cultural scene increasingly embraces diversity and authenticity, TALES 2025 is a timely and necessary celebration of African brilliance.
Whether you’re a fashion enthusiast, culture lover, or global tastemaker, TALES 2025 is where Africa’s future-forward creativity meets London’s cultural heartbeat.
Event Details
Venue: Luxury Promise, The Corner Showroom, 28 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0DB 
Dates: July 25 – August 3, 2025 
Admission: FREE — Registration required at
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