South Africa

DStv will lose half-a-million customers in South Africa over the next five years, while its revenue in the country will decline by around 3-billion rands (78-billion naira).

That is according to the Africa Pay TV Forecasts report from television industry intelligence firm Digital TV Research.

The report forecasts that South Africa will have about 9.2 million Pay-TV subscribers by 2027.

Of these, DStv will account for 8.4 million, which means it will remain the dominant provider in the country.

However, that figure is 500,000 less than the 8.9 million South African subscribers it had as of September 2021, according to its interim results for the current financial year.

Although the broadcaster has been bleeding high-end Premium package users over the past few years, its total subscriber count has risen due to increased uptake in the low-end and mid-market segments.

While the report’s authors would not state the reasons for the reduction in subscribers and revenue, DStv has increasingly come under pressure from Internet-based video streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in recent years.

MultiChoice might absorb the pay-TV revenue reduction somewhat by increasing subscribers on its Showmax streaming service.

But as more streaming services reach South Africa’s shores, it will have to invest heavily in original content, with international powerhouses expected to pull their movies and TV shows from rival platforms when they launch their own services.

The imminent arrival of Disney+ in South Africa, for example, is expected to see MultiChoice lose the rights to broadcast programming from a large selection of sought-after franchises owned by the House of Mouse.

Rest of Africa

Things look much rosier for MultiChoice in the rest of Africa, where the overall pay-TV market is expected to see significant growth.

According to the report, MultiChoice will continue to dominate amidst strong competition from StarTimes and Canal+.

Digital TV Research forecasted that MultiChoice would grow its subscribers to 20.8 million across its DStv and GoTV offerings by 2027. That would be a substantial increase from the 12.2 million it reported in September 2021.

Overall, it is anticipated that Pay-TV subscriber numbers in Africa will climb by 18 million to reach 57 million between 2021 and 2027.

Digital TV Research principal analyst Simon Murray said that the three main competitors would battle it out for subscribers, often by cutting prices.

The result is that pay-TV revenue is expected to increase by a less impressive 35% during the same period, reaching $6.46 billion.

By 2027, South African broadcaster Multichoice will have 20.8 million subscribers across its DStv and GOtv platforms. Meanwhile, Chinese media company StarTimes, which has a significant presence across sub-Saharan Africa, will grow to 18.4 million, and Vivendi-owned French company Canal+ will climb to 11.2 million subs.

“Few new players are expected. Instead, the three protagonists will battle for supremacy – often by cutting prices,” said Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research.

The chart below shows the forecasted number of subscribers each of the biggest pay-TV providers in Africa will have by 2027.

Dstv reign is coming to an end very soon.

joceey:
Dstv reign is coming to an end very soon.

I don't see no capable competitor in Africa at the moment. Or do you?

SportsHD:

I don't see no capable competitor in Africa at the moment. Or do you?

“Few new players are expected. Instead, the three protagonists will battle for supremacy – often by cutting prices,” said Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research.

If not for the EPL and UCL

I would have stop using DSTV a long time ago.

joceey:
Dstv reign is coming to an end very soon.

Who go dethrone them?

DubaiLandLord:
If not for the EPL and UCL

I would have stop using DSTV a long time ago.

Tstv wey we dey even expect to come and shake DStv's leg, I don't know if it's politics that's making them stagnant like this. Even with the price cuts and all, they're still stagnant. By the way, I thought nta owned star times. I didn't know that it was the Chinese, fuvcking chinese.

SportsHD:

Tstv wey we dey even expect to come and shake DStv's leg, I don't know if it's politics that's making them stagnant like this. Even with the price cuts and all, they're still stagnant. By the way, I thought nta owned star times. I didn't know that it was the Chinese, fuvcking chinese.

The only way DSTV can be shake is if Startime or TSTV can pay DSTV for the right to also show the EPL and UCL.

GMB pass a law that makes such a thing possible, I don't know if the cable companies like Startime don't want to apply because of the fee they will pay to DSTV.

TSTV will weaken DSTV in nigeria very soon, I speaking from experience because I am currently using TSTV.

I still don't know why Dstv is not looking at implementing pay as you use in Nigeria

but DStv is reigning in Nigeria, almost 90% citizens are using it here

eteebanky1:
but DStv is reigning in Nigeria, almost 90% citizens are using it here

do they all subscribe? I bought mine during their last promo. After the promo I went back to my Ghana FTA where I'm guaranteed steady and recent foreign movies . I don't watch football and I don't do nollywood movies

Harryfrosh:
I still don't know why Dstv is not looking at implementing pay as you use in Nigeria

Can you people afford Pay per view? You people think Pay per view is cheap? Until you are told to pay 10k to watch one Anthony Joshua fight, na dat time una go know wassup

joceey:
Dstv reign is coming to an end very soon.

DubaiLandLord:
The only way DSTV can be shake is if Startime or TSTV can pay DSTV for the right to also show the EPL and UCL.

GMB pass a law that makes such a thing possible, I don't know if the cable companies like Startime don't want to apply because of the fee they will pay to DSTV.

You people can not be crying for foreign direct investment in Nigeria, and when these foreigners invest in your country, employ your citizens, you then turn to the government to stifle their operations with unfriendly policies. Kolework.

Shukusheka:
You people can not be crying for foreign direct investment in Nigeria, and when these foreigners invest in your country, employ your citizens, you then turn to the government to stifle their operations with unfriendly policies. Kolework.

The law is the law.

DubaiLandLord:
The law is the law.

Doesn't mean it is right and can not be modified.

Shukusheka:
Doesn't mean it is right and can not be modified.

For now, the law should be followed till it will be modify.

I want to sell my dstv decoder to buy free to air Strong

DubaiLandLord:
If not for the EPL and UCL

I would have stop using DSTV a long time ago.

I have repented from DSTV. I realized I spent less streaming the matches I want to watch than pay 7900 monthly and I'm not always home.

Asquare84:
TSTV will weaken DSTV in nigeria very soon, I speaking from experience because I am currently using TSTV.

As far as TSTV lacks the right to air the EPL & UCL, then you're just dreaming

Dutch dreams