Broadcasting
We Need to Calm the Chaos that Domestic Workers Endure
Luke Kannemeyer, SweepSouth Interim Managing Director
Life feels like a high-wire act these days. Chances are that you and everyone you know has been dealing with a heightened sense of anxiety. The world is being shaken by a slew of climate disasters, rocketing inflation, energy crises, and supply shortages. Most of us didn’t think we’d be talking about ‘the war’ in the present tense, but here we are.
Nigerians have also endured terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, unemployment, and inadequate power supply. Whether you’re completely strung out or noticing a persistent buzz of worry, these events have taken their toll. Good mental health comes partly from having a fundamental support structure to rely on, but sometimes we don’t even know if the lights will be on for supper.
If you’re lucky, you have access to safety nets: loved ones to support you, savings in the bank, a religious community to connect with. The world might be imploding, but at least you know what the next few days and weeks in your life are going to look like.
Domestic workers often don’t.
One of the most jarring things that comes across in our latest Report on Pay and Working Conditions for Domestic Workers Across Africa is how this profession is characterised by uncertainty and instability. Domestic workers do essential work in society and yet they are often among the first to lose their jobs in a tough economy. We’re all struggling, but for them, the situation is even more precarious.
In a ‘regular’ job, you’re protected by a contract and labour laws. You and your employer have certain obligations towards each other, and our social and legal structures keep you both in check. And while there are laws that are supposed to protect domestic workers too, domestic work happens in a private space, and so is difficult to regulate.
Earnings are a particular pain point. People are often unsure what to pay domestic workers and typically ask friends and family what they’re paying without necessarily considering any differences in the size of their home or the number of people and pets living there. The result is a flat rate regardless of the hours worked.
In addition, domestic work is notoriously undervalued, whether it’s done by a professional or by family members. Allowing individuals to decide what it’s worth based on their personal impressions means that wages are wildly subjective.
What domestic workers earn is barely enough to survive. At SweepSouth we found that, in terms of average pay, only those currently on our platform are earning above the minimum wage. We want domestic workers to earn a living wage, not just the minimum wage. Do you know what the minimum wage is? It’s ₦30,000 a month. That’s all. Most workers are earning less than that, and on average they’re stretching those incomes to support three or four dependants.
Nor is this income steady. Domestic workers are engaged in a constant hustle to get work from multiple clients. Additionally, simply travelling to work is a challenge. Public transport systems are often crime-ridden, unreliable and particularly unsafe for women, who face the prospect of sexual harassment, assault, or robbery on a daily basis. The multiple dangers of the daily commute means domestic workers are travelling in a state of hypervigilance, causing them distress before their workday even begins.
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While there are too many problems here for any one person or company to solve, we can all provide something. SweepSouth offers a modicum of structure for professional domestic work, with our app giving access to regular employment opportunities.
The screening processes and rating system offer assurance to employers and enable workers to build a professional reputation in an industry where references might be hard to come by.
SweepStars aren’t obliged to only work via the app, but it’s become a go-to platform that they can fall back on when they lose jobs.
The pricing structure also helps regulate payments while educating workers and customers on what constitutes a fair wage. This is of particular importance as it means payment is not purely at the whim of homeowners, who in turn are able to think beyond the flat rates quoted by friends and family.
Be mindful of the uncertainty domestic workers are dealing with and try to mitigate that with whatever form of dependability you can provide: timely communication with workers, a nutritious meal, or access to safe and reliable transport.
Having one less thing to worry about can go a long way in improving quality of life. Not knowing what the next day will bring might sound exciting when you want an adventure, but it’s frightening when what you need is a job. The people who support us in our daily lives deserve the same sense of security that we need to thrive.
MultiChoice is reportedly testing weekly subscription plans in Uganda, aiming to ease financial pressure on customers struggling with monthly payments.
If successful, the pay-TV giant may expand the model to other African markets as it fights to retain subscribers amid economic challenges, according to the Sunday Times.
The company, which operates in 16 African countries, has seen its subscriber base shrink by 1.2 million in the past year, dropping to 14.5 million.
Half of those losses came from South Africa, where high unemployment and rising living costs have forced households to cut discretionary spending, including DStv subscriptions.
Calvo Mawela, group CEO, MultiChoice, confirmed the weekly subscription trial has been running for seven weeks.
“Within three to six months, we’ll have a good idea if it’s working,” he told the Sunday Times.
“If successful, we’ll expand it to other markets. We believe this approach can help customers in the same way prepaid mobile services revolutionized telecoms.”
MultiChoice faces financial strain from currency depreciation in key markets like Nigeria, Angola, and Ghana, alongside rising inflation.
In South Africa, economic stagnation has further squeezed consumer budgets.
Despite a recent 31% price hike in Nigeria, Mawela remains optimistic, noting that the naira has stabilized and subscriber recovery may follow.
While the new payment option could improve affordability, Mawela dismissed the idea of letting users customize channel bundles, stating, “We still don’t think it works.”
However, MultiChoice is researching tiered packages, including separate sports and entertainment offerings, to boost revenue.
The company is also streamlining costs, targeting R2 billion in savings by 2026 through reduced satellite expenses, better content deals, and fewer decoder subsidies.
As broadband penetration grows, MultiChoice reports a 38% surge in DStv Stream users.
However, its standalone streaming platform, Showmax, has underperformed initial expectations despite a 44% increase in paying subscribers. Mawela admitted the venture’s high costs are unsustainable, prompting talks with partner Comcast NBCUniversal to adjust funding.
“Streaming is the future, but data prices must improve for it to thrive in Africa,” MultiChoice stated.
For now, the company hopes flexible subscriptions and cost controls will stabilize its business as it navigates a tough economic climate.
MultiChoice Nigeria’s subscription revenue declined by 44 per cent to $197.74m in the financial year ended March 2025, down from $355.93m recorded in the same period a year earlier, as rising inflation and a worsening economic climate triggered a mass exit of subscribers.
The sharp revenue drop was driven by “sizeable customer losses in Nigeria as high inflation adds more pressure on consumers,” the company said in its latest financial report. Inflation stood at 23.71 per cent in April 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
The pay-TV provider has lost 1.4 million subscribers in Nigeria since its financial year ended in March 2023.
Nigeria alone accounted for 77 per cent of the 1.8 million subscribers lost across MultiChoice’s Rest of Africa segment, which includes markets such as Kenya, Zambia, and Angola.
Between April and September 2024, the company lost 243,000 subscribers in Nigeria, as macroeconomic and consumer conditions deteriorated further.
At the close of its 2025 fiscal year, MultiChoice reported 14.5 million total subscribers, with 7.5 million of them in RoA. The group attributed part of the overall decline in performance to foreign exchange losses resulting from a 44 per cent depreciation of the naira against the US dollar.
MultiChoice said it incurred foreign exchange losses of $158.19m and managed to remit only $133m from Nigeria at an average exchange rate of N1,589 per dollar, compared to $184m at N1,044 per dollar in the previous year.
“Nigeria’s economic challenges had a significant impact on our Rest of Africa operations, contributing to a 23 per cent drop in RoA subscription revenue to $779.66m,” said Chief Executive Officer, MultiChoice Group, Calvo Mawela.
Total subscription revenue, including South Africa, declined by 11 per cent year-on-year to $2.27bn. Overall group revenue fell nine per cent to $2.87bn, while operating profit declined by 34 per cent to $263.50m. Trading profit dropped by nearly half to $228.14m.
“Our performance reflects both the challenges we’ve faced and the resilience of our teams,” said Mawela. “While macroeconomic pressures and currency volatility have weighed on our results, our disciplined execution, cost management, and investment in new long-term growth opportunities position us well for the future.”
In spite of its declining linear subscriber base, down 2.8 million across two financial years, MultiChoice reported notable growth in its digital and streaming businesses.
DStv Internet revenue rose 85 per cent, KingMakers grew by 76 per cent in constant currency, DStv Stream increased 48 per cent, and Showmax saw a 44 per cent year-on-year rise in active paying customers.
“Our strategy is shaped by developments in our industry, such as changes in technology which are driving shifts in consumer behaviour, as well as the impact of a rise in piracy, streaming services, and social media,” Mawela said.
Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC) has issued a new directive establishing a formal regulatory framework for electricity market operations within Lagos.
With the release of Order No. LASERC ORDER/001/2025, the commission finalizes the shift of oversight from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to LASERC, aligning with the Electricity Act 2023 and Lagos State Electricity Law 2024.
Under the new regulations, individuals or entities involved in electricity-related activities in Lagos must obtain a license or permit from LASERC. Licenses issued by other regulatory bodies will no longer be recognized. Unlicensed operators must immediately halt operations and apply for proper authorization to avoid penalties, which include a fine of ₦20 million and additional daily fines of ₦20,000 for continued violations.
LASERC has encouraged entities unsure of their regulatory status to seek clarification to prevent sanctions. Despite the transition, existing national guidelines, including tariff structures, grid codes, and safety regulations, will remain in effect unless amended.
Dr. Fouad Animashaun, CEO and Executive Commissioner of LASERC, emphasized that the order is designed to ensure a secure, efficient, and reliable electricity market in Lagos.
He reiterated the commission’s commitment to global standards and safeguarding the interests of electricity consumers and investors.
This policy marks a significant shift in the state’s power sector and aims to enhance regulatory compliance while ensuring a more structured and effective electricity market.
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