In a transformative move for Africa’s media landscape, French media conglomerate Canal+ has acquired full ownership of MultiChoice Group, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, in a $3 billion (approximately 55 billion rand) deal.
The acquisition, finalized after months of negotiations and regulatory reviews, was approved by South Africa’s Competition Tribunal on July 23, 2025, granting Canal+ the remaining 55% stake it did not previously own.
The deal is set to close by October 8, 2025.Canal+, already a major player in 25 African countries with over eight million subscribers, now gains control of MultiChoice’s 14.5 million subscribers across 50 sub-Saharan African countries.
The acquisition includes MultiChoice’s flagship platforms, DStv, GOtv, and Showmax, as well as premium content brand SuperSport. Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada described the deal as a “game-changer,” stating, “The combined group will benefit from enhanced scale, greater exposure to high-growth markets, and the ability to deliver meaningful synergies.”
The merger integrates Canal+’s French-language content with MultiChoice’s dominant English and Portuguese offerings, creating a multilingual media powerhouse tailored to diverse African audiences.
However, the Competition Tribunal imposed public interest conditions to safeguard South Africa’s media sovereignty, including a commitment from Canal+ to invest 26 billion rand over three years in local content, sports broadcasting, and job retention.
MultiChoice’s headquarters will remain in South Africa, ensuring continued support for local content creators.
The takeover, which began with a mandatory buyout offer in 2023 at 125 rand per share, positions Canal+ to reshape Africa’s pay-TV industry.
With a goal of reaching 50 to 100 million subscribers across the continent, the French media giant is poised to compete with global streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime, leveraging MultiChoice’s established infrastructure and Canal+’s global expertise.
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