Booming African pay-TV market set for three-horse race

The African pay-TV market is predicted to amass a total of 57 million subscribers by the end of 2027.

According to analyst firm Digital TV Research, the market will add 18 million subscribers in the coming five years, climbing by 46%.

A new report from the company notes however that pay TV revenues will only rise by 35%, reflecting a drop in prices in the increasingly competitive market. Pay-TV revenues are expected to reach $6.46bn by 2027, up from $4.78bn in 2021.

The African pay-TV market is dominated by three players – Multichoice, StarTimes and Canal Plus – which account for 90% of the continent’s pay-TV subscribers. Multichoice is expected to reach 20.8 million subscribers via its DStv and GOtv platforms, which will have 14.6 million and 6.2 million subscribers each. StarTimes meanwhile is expected to hit 18.4 million subs, while Canal Plus will reach 11.2 million.

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