Canal+ plans to discontinue the Showmax service after determining the African streaming platform was not commercially viable, marking one of the first major strategic shifts since the French broadcaster acquired MultiChoice Group.
The companies confirmed the decision to halt Showmax following a review of their streaming operations, though a final shutdown date has not been disclosed as the firms work through remaining legal considerations.
Showmax was launched by MultiChoice in August 2015 as the broadcaster sought to counter growing competition from global streaming platforms including Netflix, Apple, Amazon, and Disney, which expanded into African markets and began eroding traditional pay-TV subscriber growth.
The service was relaunched in February 2024 in partnership with NBCUniversal, a unit of Comcast, using technology developed for the Peacock streaming platform. The revamp included significant investment in technology infrastructure and content production aimed at accelerating subscriber growth across the continent.
Despite those efforts, the platform struggled to gain traction. MultiChoice and NBCUniversal collectively invested about $309 million in equity funding for Showmax, largely directed toward original content and platform development.
Financial disclosures prior to Canal+’s takeover showed Showmax’s trading losses widened by about 88% while revenue declined, underscoring the difficulty regional platforms face competing against global streaming rivals.
Canal+, which has targeted about €400 million ($430 million) in cost reductions by 2030 across its combined operations, has identified Showmax as a key area for restructuring. Chief Executive Officer Maxime Saada told investors earlier this year that the platform had not delivered the expected commercial results.
Under the venture structure, NBCUniversal holds a 30% stake in Showmax.
The companies said the shutdown will not result in layoffs because employment protections included in the acquisition agreement prevent staff reductions for three years after Canal+ took control of MultiChoice in September 2025. Employees working on Showmax will instead be reassigned to other roles within the group.
MultiChoice has already begun shifting its Showmax Originals programming to its linear television channels, including M-Net, Africa Magic, Mzansi Magic, and kykNET.
The closure comes amid broader consolidation in Africa’s streaming sector. In early 2024, Amazon MGM Studios halted commissioning new original productions in Africa, ending several development agreements with regional production companies.
Instead of maintaining a standalone streaming platform, Canal+ is expected to deepen distribution partnerships with global players. In June, the company signed an agreement with Netflix to bundle Netflix subscriptions into Canal+ pay-TV packages across 24 countries in Francophone Africa.
Expanding such arrangements across the continent could provide subscribers access to global streaming libraries while limiting the capital investment required to run a proprietary platform.
Canal+ is scheduled to report financial results on March 11, which will include its first full-year performance following the MultiChoice acquisition.
Leave a comment