Connect with us

Broadcasting

MultiChoice Suspends Yearly DStv Price Hike as Canal+ Pushes Growth

Published

on

Kindly share this post

MultiChoice has said that it will not implement its customary yearly price increase on DStv and GOtv subscriptions.

MultiChoice Suspends Yearly DStv Price Hike as Canal+ Pushes Growth

This is the first time the Pay-TV company will not be adjusting its price in April, as it has in previous years, signalling a clear shift in direction under its new owner, Canal+.

The decision, confirmed by David Mignot, group chief executive,MultiChoice in an interview with TechCentral, comes as the pay television operator grapples with steep subscriber losses across its markets.

For many households accustomed to annual April tariff adjustments, the announcement will be a welcome break.

Responding to questions about whether DStv prices would rise in April as they have in previous years, Mignot gave a firm response: there will be no increase.

He explained that the company’s immediate focus is on rebuilding its subscriber base, making this an unsuitable period to adjust prices upward.

He added that while there are no current plans for a price hike, the company has not completely ruled out adjustments later in the year, especially if economic conditions demand it, such as significant currency movements.

MultiChoice has historically reviewed and raised DStv subscription fees in April, often citing inflationary pressures and rising content costs. As recently as April 2025, bouquet prices were adjusted upwards by between 2.1 per cent and 7.9 per cent.

The DStv Premium package rose from R929 to R979 per month, while DStv Access, the entry-level satellite package, recorded one of the steepest increases.

This year’s pause represents a break from that pattern and forms part of a broader reset following Canal+’s acquisition of MultiChoice in September 2025.

Mignot, who brings three decades of experience in the pay television industry, summed up his mission in simple terms: halt subscriber losses and return the business to growth.

The urgency behind the move is evident in MultiChoice’s recent performance.

The group has lost 2.8 million linear broadcasting subscribers in the two years ended 31 March 2025, with roughly half of those losses occurring in South Africa.

In the financial year to end-March 2025 alone, MultiChoice shed 1.2 million subscribers, representing an eight per cent year-on-year decline and leaving the group with 14.5 million active customers.

The previous year saw an even steeper drop of 1.6 million subscribers. By June 2025, Canal+ indicated that the pace of decline had intensified further.

The financial impact has been significant. Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2025 declined by R4 billion to R52 billion, while trading profit fell sharply by 49 per cent to R4 billion.

According to Mignot, the company’s difficulties stem less from its programming slate and more from weaknesses in its commercial execution.

He argued that in subscription businesses, a churn rate of between 12 and 15 per cent annually is inevitable as customers relocate, experience job losses, adjust household budgets, or change priorities. Without attracting a comparable number of new subscribers each year, losses accumulate.

Mignot maintained that the content offering remains strong, particularly in sport and general entertainment. He cited flagship brands such as SuperSport, M-Net and Africa Magic as evidence of sustained investment in programming. However, he stressed that content strength alone cannot offset a weakening subscriber acquisition engine.

He noted that MultiChoice’s commercial machinery had performed robustly across Africa until around 2022, describing the current challenges as relatively recent.

Drawing on Canal+’s experience in French-speaking African markets, Mignot pointed out that pricing there has remained largely unchanged for close to 14 years, supported by a volume-driven approach. He described his strategy as one focused on growing subscriber numbers while maintaining profitability.

While he did not dismiss the possibility of reviewing prices downward in future, he indicated that no such decision has been taken.


Kindly share this post

Ebere Melum-Nwogbo is a trained and practicing journalist. She is passionate about ICT and business journalism. She has over a decade experience spanning money and capital market as well as information technology

Broadcasting

MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

Published

on

Kindly share this post

MTN Group has begun rolling out MTN One TV, a new entertainment proposition designed to make digital video content more accessible, relevant, and flexible for customers across African markets.

MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

Introduced in line with MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN One TV brings together local storytelling, live channels, international programming, and market-specific viewing options tailored to how customers across the continent access and pay for digital entertainment.

The proposition is designed to give customers greater choice in how they watch content, with viewing models that may vary by market and can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded experiences, pay-as-you-watch access, and subscription offerings.

Depending on local availability, customers may also be able to pay through airtime, Mobile Money, and other locally supported payment methods, helping to reduce common barriers to streaming access.

Beyond enhancing customer experiences, MTN One TV creates new opportunities for African creators, broadcasters, advertisers, and ecosystem partners by helping connect content to wider audiences through MTN’s scale across connectivity, payments, and digital services.

By bringing together a broad mix of content experiences under a single proposition, MTN aims to support greater content discovery, broader audience reach, and sustainable growth across Africa’s digital entertainment ecosystem.

Anchored in MTN’s strategic platforms of Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure, MTN One TV forms part of the Group’s broader ambition to build digital experiences that create value for customers while enabling participation and growth across Africa’s digital economy.

“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN group chief commercial, strategy and transformation officer.

“Through MTN One TV, we are leveraging the scale of our connectivity, fintech, and digital capabilities to make relevant content more accessible while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economies. This is aligned with our ambition to deliver digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”

MTN One TV is being introduced progressively across MTN markets through a phased rollout approach that reflects local market needs, existing services, and partnership opportunities.

Over time, MTN will bring together a combination of video capabilities, content partnerships, and customer experiences under the MTN One TV brand to create a more consistent and scalable entertainment proposition across its footprint.

Through MTN One TV, MTN continues to extend its role beyond connectivity by combining entertainment, payments, and digital services to deliver experiences tailored to the needs of African consumers.

The rollout supports MTN’s Ambition 2030 vision of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress while expanding access to digital entertainment across the continent.

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Broadcasting

IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World’s Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

Published

on

Kindly share this post

International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified Nigeria as one of the most expensive countries in the world for airline operations, citing high taxes, charges and operational costs that continue to weigh heavily on local carriers.

IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World's Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, disclosed this during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro.

Al-Awadhi said that although Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been pursuing reforms aimed at improving the aviation sector, airlines operating in the country still faced enormous cost pressures.

According to him, the high-cost operating environment has continued to affect the profitability and competitiveness of Nigerian airlines, making it difficult for the industry to realise its full potential.

He noted that excessive taxes, regulatory charges and other operating expenses remained major obstacles to airline growth across the region, with Nigeria ranking among the most challenging markets from a cost perspective.

Al-Awadhi urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States to adopt a proposed 25 per cent reduction in aviation taxes and charges to ease the burden on airlines and passengers.

According to him, lowering taxes and charges would reduce airfares, stimulate passenger traffic and strengthen the competitiveness of carriers operating within West Africa.

He stressed that a more supportive policy environment was critical to unlocking the economic benefits of aviation, including increased trade, tourism and regional integration.

Industry stakeholders have consistently advocated lower taxes and regulatory fees, arguing that the current cost structure makes air travel less affordable and limits the growth of the sector.

IATA’s latest remarks add to calls for governments in West Africa to implement policies that will promote a more sustainable and competitive aviation industry across the region.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Broadcasting

NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

Published

on

Kindly share this post

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has trained 50 women in Kano State on inverter and battery technologies through its She-Powers Energy Initiative.

NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

The three-day programme, held at the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano which ended yesterday, was designed to equip participants with practical renewable energy skills, promote women-led enterprises, and enhance sustainable livelihoods.

 The initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader commitment to empowering women, creating economic opportunities, and expanding participation in Nigeria’s growing clean energy sector. It also aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.

 Through targeted interventions such as the She-Powers Energy Initiative, NASENI continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve lives and drive sustainable development across the country.

Photos: Participants at the She-Powers Energy Initiative training organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) held at the the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano yesterday.


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending