Broadcasting
Mastercard Highlights Africa’s $16.5Bn AI Potential and Path to Digital Empowerment
Mastercard has today released its latest whitepaper, Harnessing the transformative power of AI in Africa, a pan-African study of the continent’s readiness, opportunity and roadmap for responsible artificial intelligence (AI) adoption.
Mark Elliott, Division President, Africa at Mastercard (L) and Ambassador Philip Thigo, Special Envoy on Technology in Kenya (R), at the official launch of the Mastercard whitepaper which provides insights on harnessing the power of AI in driving digital transformation
The whitepaper provides detailed insights into how AI—if deployed responsibly and inclusively—can unlock transformative outcomes across the continent’s major industries, including agriculture, healthcare, education, energy and finance.
With Africa’s AI market projected to grow from USD 4.5 billion in 2025 to USD 16.5 billion by 2030 according to a recent report from Statista, the paper presents a clear case for multi-stakeholder collaboration and investment. It highlights how Africa’s unique demographics, mobile-first infrastructure and entrepreneurial spirit position it as an active architect of the future.
Mark Elliott, division president, Africa at Mastercard, commented: “Africa’s engagement with AI is already reshaping lives — not just in labs, but in farms, clinics and classrooms. To unlock its full potential, we need investment in infrastructure, data, talent, and policy. At Mastercard, we believe responsible, locally rooted AI can drive inclusive growth and connect more people to opportunity.”
The whitepaper outlines the potential positive impact of AI on digital infrastructure, policy and governance, research and development, local language processing and investment into Africa.
It also explores how AI can accelerate job creation, with up to 230 million digital jobs projected by 2030 and increase access to formal finance through AI-enabled credit scoring and fraud prevention.
Greg Ulrich, chief AI and data officer, Mastercard, said: “AI is only as powerful as the trust behind it. At Mastercard, we’re committed to building AI that’s responsible, inclusive, and built to bring value to our customers, partners and employees. This isn’t just innovation—it’s innovation with integrity.”
Regional highlights covered in the whitepaper include:
South Africa: South Africa attracted USD 610 million in AI-focused venture capital in 2023, with total AI investment expected to reach USD 3.7 billion by 2030. With the highest data and infrastructure readiness in Africa, the country is solidifying its role as a continental leader in AI research and application. It is home to the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa which serves as a gateway for students and professionals to access world-class education, research and industry news. National plans aim to develop up to 300 AI start-ups and train 5,000 AI professionals by 2030, creating the foundation for a vibrant, homegrown AI ecosystem.
Kenya: An emerging leader in AI innovation, Kenya has leveraged its “Silicon Savannah” status to securely deploy AI across sectors. Platforms like Tala use mobile data for credit scoring, while Jacaranda Health’s UlizaLlama, an AI-powered chatbot, provides maternal health support in five local languages. The newly launched National AI Strategy (2025–2030) outlines the government’s commitment to positioning Kenya as a regional leader in AI research and development, innovation and commercialization for socioeconomic development.
Nigeria: Nigeria ranks second in the number of AI startups in Africa and secured USD 218 million in VC investment in 2023. As one of Africa’s most dynamic AI ecosystems, Nigeria is using AI to personalize learning (Rising Academies), deliver microfinance via Kudi.ai, and strengthen governance with AI tools that monitor public fund allocation. With a $1.4 billion projected AI market size by 2025, the government’s proactive approach, combined with growing private-sector innovation, suggests promising growth in AI applications.
Morocco: An emerging AI hub in North Africa, Morocco is advancing AI adoption across healthcare, energy, agriculture, and finance. Institutions such as Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and DeepEcho are driving local innovation, while the MoroccoAI Annual Conference is shaping national dialogue on the future of AI. Under its Digital 2030 strategy, Morocco aims to attract USD 1.1 billion in investment and create 240,000 digital jobs by 2030. Despite this progress, the whitepaper warns that data fragmentation, language exclusion and regulatory inconsistency could deepen the digital divide.
Harnessing the potential of AI in Africa will be instrumental in accelerating financial inclusion and driving the continent’s digital and economic growth. Strategic collaborations between governments, fintechs, and global partners will be key to unlocking AI’s full impact.
Mastercard’s whitepaper draws on insights from leading African technologists, policymakers, academics and entrepreneurs, including interviews with UNESCO, the African Center for Economic Transformation, and fintech leaders across the region.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
Paramount Africa is officially shutting down at the end of December 2025, drawing the curtain on more than two decades of operations in South Africa and Nigeria.
The company, which once reached over 100 million viewers across 52 African territories, confirmed it will close its doors as part of a massive global restructuring at its parent company, Paramount Global.
This is the same Paramount Africa behind channels like BET, MTV, MTV Base, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and more.
Its digital footprint has also been significant, with millions of monthly page views, social media engagements, and content partnerships across Africa.
But despite that scale, rising costs and a global strategic reset have caught up with the business.
Paramount’s retrenchment has been building for months.
Earlier this year, plans to launch a standalone Paramount+ app in South Africa were quietly shelved.
Then in August, the company said its content would remain available only via DStv and Showmax.
And last month, MultiChoice confirmed that BET Africa and MTV Base will disappear from DStv and GOtv on January 1, 2026, as Paramount Africa winds down entirely.
The shutdown is tied to aggressive cost-cutting after Paramount’s merger with Skydance. The company is targeting a 15% reduction in global staff and $3 billion in savings.
International divisions, including Africa, have taken the hardest hit as the business pivots away from linear TV and doubles down on a more streamlined streaming-first model.
At the same time, the global media landscape is being shaken by Warner Bros. Discovery’s chaotic auction. Netflix, Paramount, and Comcast have all submitted fresh bids for WBD, with some offers reportedly focusing on the studios-and-streaming division, home to HBO, HBO Max, DC, and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Analysts say the crown jewel bundle could go for as much as $70 billion, a deal that would reshape Hollywood and accelerate the decline of traditional TV.
DStv subscribers may lose access to 12 major Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) channels, including CNN International, Discovery Channel, TLC, and Cartoon Network, from Jan. 1, 2026, if MultiChoice and WBD fail to conclude a new distribution agreement.
DStv
MultiChoice, now owned by Canal+, issued a notice to customers on Monday, warning that its current carriage deal with WBD will expire on Dec. 31, 2025, and negotiations to renew the contract remain inconclusive.
“While discussions between the parties continue, no agreement has been reached at this stage. If this remains unchanged, several Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be available on DStv from Jan. 1, 2026,” the company said.
The channels at risk include Discovery Channel, CNN International, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Travel Channel.
The development comes amid subscriber losses for MultiChoice, which has shed 2.8 million active linear subscribers over the last two financial years.
This includes 1.2 million customers lost in 2025 alone, representing an 8 per cent decline across South Africa and the rest of Africa.
In Nigeria, MultiChoice has lost 1.4 million subscribers in the past two years, largely due to repeated subscription price increases, according to Nairametrics.
The broadcaster is also set to lose additional content in the coming months. Paramount Africa will discontinue BET Africa and MTV Base from Jan. 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice will cease operations on Dec. 31, 2025.
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