The new owner of MultiChoice Group, Canal+, is set to discontinue the streaming platform Showmax as part of a broader cost-cutting strategy aimed at streamlining its operations.

Reports indicate that the decision followed a review of the company’s streaming business, with Canal+ seeking to reduce expenses and optimize investments amid intense competition in the global streaming industry.

Both Canal+ and MultiChoice confirmed the planned shutdown of the service, although they did not disclose a specific timeline. The companies said the platform would be discontinued once ongoing legal and operational processes are completed.

According to MultiChoice, the decision was taken by the Showmax board and aligns with the company’s renewed focus on financial discipline and investment efficiency in a highly competitive and capital-intensive streaming market.

The company also assured that the shutdown would not affect employees working within the unit. Under the acquisition agreement, Canal+ is prohibited from laying off staff for a period of three years.

“The decision to discontinue Showmax services will not involve any retrenchments. The group will be engaging and supporting employees through various transition options,” MultiChoice said in a statement.

Earlier in January, Canal+ Chief Executive Officer Maxime Saada described Showmax as “not a commercial success,” noting during an investor call that the platform had become a significant financial burden for MultiChoice.

Despite the decision, Canal+ said it would continue to invest in premium content, technological innovation, and strategic partnerships to strengthen MultiChoice’s position in Africa’s entertainment market.

“We want to reassure our Showmax subscribers that they are our priority as we evolve our services to deliver a superior streaming experience,” the company said, adding that more details on expanded content offerings and platform upgrades would be announced later.

MultiChoice originally launched Showmax in August 2015 as a pan-African streaming platform designed to compete with global services such as Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.

In February 2024, the company relaunched the service through a partnership with NBCUniversal, leveraging the technology behind its streaming platform Peacock. The relaunch involved major investments aimed at upgrading the platform’s technology and expanding its content catalogue.

MultiChoice and NBCUniversal jointly injected about $309 million in equity funding into the project, largely targeted at content creation and platform improvements. However, the investments failed to deliver the rapid subscriber growth expected by investors. In its final financial results before the takeover, MultiChoice reported that Showmax’s trading losses had widened by 88 percent, while revenue from the platform declined.

Canal+ completed its acquisition of MultiChoice in September last year in a landmark deal estimated at $3 billion. The transaction created a combined media group serving more than 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries in Africa, Europe and Asia. Together, the companies said they employ about 17,000 people globally.

Canal+ added that it will provide a detailed strategic update on the integration, including potential synergies, in the first quarter of 2026. The group plans to focus heavily on local content production, sports broadcasting and digital innovation as it seeks to strengthen its presence in both traditional pay-TV and the fast-growing streaming market.

The company also aims to leverage MultiChoice’s experience in navigating African consumer trends and regulatory environments to expand its operations across emerging markets.

The post Canal+ to Discontinue Showmax After MultiChoice Acquisition appeared first on Tech Digest News.

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, described the judgments as a reflection of the strength of Nigeria’s consumer protection framework and the effectiveness of judicial enforcement under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.

Mr. Bello praised the courts for delivering “fair outcomes that strengthen consumer confidence and accountability in the marketplace,” adding that the rulings affirm the FCCPA’s provisions empowering consumers to seek redress and compelling service providers to maintain lawful standards of fair service delivery.

He also lauded consumers for pursuing justice through legal channels rather than self-help, noting that the law provides several avenues for grievance redress. “Between March and August 2025, the Commission facilitated recoveries of more than ₦10 billion for consumers across 30 sectors, demonstrating the growing effectiveness of Nigeria’s consumer protection system,” he said.

According to the FCCPC, Justice R. O. Olukolu of the Lagos High Court awarded ₦5 million in damages to a DStv subscriber, Mr. Ben Onuora, for the wrongful disconnection of his active subscription by Multichoice. The court held that the company acted unlawfully by cutting off service despite verified payment and ordered immediate reconnection and an extension of the subscription to cover the period of disconnection.

In the Enugu High Court, Justice C. O. Ajah ruled that Peace Mass Transit’s “no refund after payment” policy was illegal under the FCCPA, ordering the company to pay ₦500,000 in damages to a passenger, Mr. Tochukwu Odo, whose fare was withheld after an uncompleted trip.

Mr. Bello said consistent judicial enforcement complements the Commission’s regulatory efforts and sends a clear message that violations of consumer rights carry real consequences. He urged Nigerians to continue reporting unfair practices through the FCCPC complaint portal, email, or its offices nationwide.

The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to promoting fair markets, safeguarding consumer rights, and ensuring accountability across all sectors.

The post Lagos Court Fines Multichoice ₦5m Over Wrongful DStv Disconnection appeared first on Tech Digest News.

In a notice to shareholders on Monday, MultiChoice confirmed that Canal+ directly owns 200,030,591 shares, representing 46% of the group (excluding treasury shares), as of September 19, 2025. The deal creates one of the world’s biggest media and entertainment companies, serving over 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries in Africa, Europe, and Asia, and employing about 17,000 people.

To reflect its new ownership, MultiChoice has reconstituted its board. Canal+ chief executive Maxime Saada now chairs the board, with Elias Masilela appointed lead independent director. David Mignot takes over as CEO, Nicolas Dandoy as CFO, and Jacques du Puy joins as an executive director. Several previous board members, including former CEO Calvo Mawela and CFO Timothy Jacobs, have stepped down but will remain involved in the wider African operations of Canal+.

The group has also aligned its financial year-end with Canal+’s December 31 cycle. MultiChoice will publish interim results for the six months ending September 30, 2025, and audited results for the nine months ending December 31, 2025, before moving fully to the new reporting schedule.

Canal+ CEO Saada hailed the acquisition as a landmark step in building a “global media and entertainment powerhouse,” saying the merger would allow deeper investments in creative and sporting content across Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The deal, approved by South Africa’s Competition Tribunal in July, marks one of Africa’s biggest-ever media mergers and strengthens Canal+’s dominance in the region’s pay-TV market.

The post Canal+ Completes $3bn Acquisition of MultiChoice, Announces Sweeping Board Changes appeared first on Tech Digest News.

George announced the breakthrough at a press conference in Accra, saying the pay-TV operator finally submitted a full breakdown of its pricing model, including bouquet rates, tax components, and comparisons with at least six African markets.

The minister said the development paved the way for a pricing review committee that will determine the level of reduction by September 21. The committee, chaired by George, will include representatives of the Ministry of Communications, the National Communications Authority, and MultiChoice Ghana and Africa.

“MultiChoice has accepted that there will be a reduction. Now the discussion is on the percentage. They have asked for 30 days, but I believe 14 days is enough for us to reach this decision,” George said.

The agreement follows a government ultimatum in August ordering MultiChoice to cut prices by 30% or risk suspension of its license and daily fines of GHC 10,000. Authorities argued that Ghanaian subscribers pay disproportionately high fees despite the cedi appreciating 40% this year, one of the strongest performances globally.

MultiChoice previously resisted the directive, insisting that its pricing structure already balances affordability with service delivery.

The post MultiChoice Agrees to Cut DStv Prices After Ghana Government Pressure appeared first on Tech Digest News.

By Hanniel Noboh,

The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has slammed MultiChoice Nigeria with a hefty fine of ₦766,242,500 for violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) — the largest sanction yet under the relatively new law.

What makes this even more shocking is not the amount, but the betrayal. Millions of Nigerians, knowingly or not, had placed a quiet, almost implicit trust in this South African-owned entertainment giant — not just for the TV shows and football matches, but for the security of the personal data they shared in return.

From DStv to GOtv and the streaming service Showmax, MultiChoice has for decades dominated the continent’s airwaves, packaging African storytelling into homes and hearts. For many Nigerians, their platform has been part of birthdays, weddings, Sunday rests, and rainy evenings.

So, to find out that the very company they welcomed into their homes may have been unlawfully sharing or transferring their data across borders is not just unsettling. It’s a violation.

According to Mr. Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the NDPC, the agency launched an investigation in the second quarter of 2024 following concerns over the possible breach of subscribers’ privacy rights.

It wasn’t just about MultiChoice customers, but also people linked to them whose data may have been swept into the company’s massive database — and possibly sent outside Nigeria without the NDPC’s authorization.

In their words, the depth of data processing by MultiChoice is patently intrusive, unfair, unnecessary, and disproportionate. Before imposing the fine, the Commission had directed MultiChoice to implement remediation measures.

But the company reportedly failed to cooperate or respond adequately. Thus came the sanction. This brings up urgent questions. What was MultiChoice really doing with our data? How long had it been going on?

What exactly were they transferring, and to whom? So far, the company has not issued any public statement. But legally, the damage is clear. MultiChoice has been found guilty of violating Section 37 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy for every citizen, as well as the Nigeria Data Protection Act.

This is not just a legal offense; it’s a moral failure. The irony is glaring. For years, Nigeria had no solid laws to protect citizens from this kind of corporate misconduct. Yes, NITDA once fined Soko Loans in 2021 for a similar breach.

But the NDPA, signed into law just two years ago, was supposed to change the game — offering Nigerians a framework of rights and remedies. Yet even now, the protections are still weak.

Unlike Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which includes provisions for direct victim compensation, Nigeria’s system allows fines to be paid to regulators — not to the individuals whose data was violated.

So, while NDPC celebrates the success of the penalty, millions of MultiChoice users are left with no closure, no compensation, and no real guarantees against a repeat.

A loyal DStv subscriber for almost a decade expressed it perfectly: I feel betrayed. To think my personal information might have been mishandled by a company I trusted for so long… I don’t know if I can ever trust them again.

And that’s the real loss. Not just the ₦766 million fine. But trust — eroded, perhaps beyond repair. In today’s hyper-connected world, data is gold. Your name, your phone number, your viewing habits, your payment history — these are not just lines of code.

They are you. And while we click “Agree” on every Terms and Conditions pop-up without reading a single line, companies like MultiChoice are quietly taking notes. The least they owe us is honesty and lawful conduct.

Cybersecurity experts like McAfee recommend simple habits: use strong and unique passwords, and update them regularly. But these are only personal precautions. Without strong institutional safeguards, even the most cautious consumer remains vulnerable.

At the end of the day, the NDPC’s fine is a start. But it’s not justice. Not yet. Until data privacy violators are held accountable not just with fines but with enforceable consequences that center the victim, these violations will continue.

Nigerians deserve more than token penalties. We deserve protection — and restitution. Let’s hope this case is not just the tip of the iceberg, but the turning point.

The post MultiChoice and the Silent Betrayal of Nigerian Viewers appeared first on Tech Digest News.

The fine follows a detailed investigation into Multichoice’s data handling practices, which revealed that the pay-TV giant engaged in unauthorized cross-border transfers of subscriber data and collected excessive customer information without clear legal justification.

NDPC’s Head of Legal, Babatunde Bamigboye, said that Multichoice’s actions were “intrusive, unnecessary, and disproportionate,” posing significant privacy risks to millions of subscribers and their associates.

The Commission had previously issued compliance directives to Multichoice to rectify the infractions, but after months of non-compliance, the regulator imposed the fine to serve as a deterrent to other big players in the broadcast and telecom sectors.

“This is not just about Multichoice. It’s about setting an example that no organization is too big to flout Nigeria’s data protection laws,” Bamigboye said.

The NDPC’s decision has been welcomed by data privacy advocates who say it signals Nigeria’s readiness to hold large corporations accountable for how they collect, store, and share personal information.

Industry analysts believe the move could prompt more companies in sectors like fintech, e-commerce, and telecommunications to prioritize compliance with Nigeria’s Data Protection Act and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) or risk hefty penalties.

Multichoice is yet to issue an official statement on whether it will appeal the sanction or pay the fine.

The post Nigerian Data Regulator Fines Multichoice ₦766 Million for Privacy Breach appeared first on Tech Digest News.

Running from June 16 to July 31, 2025, customers who pay for their current package in full will automatically be bumped up to the next-tier package for free. The initiative, according to the company, is a response to the harsh economic realities facing many Nigerians.

“We want our customers to feel appreciated and enjoy premium content without the burden of rising costs,” said John Ugbe, CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria. “DStv isn’t just about football—we offer entertainment for every member of the family.”

This move follows the company’s reported loss of 1.4 million subscribers between March 2023 and March 2025. MultiChoice believes that by making its platform more affordable and content-rich, it can drive viewer engagement across genres such as movies, drama, kids’ shows, and news.

The promo applies to both active and previously inactive subscribers, providing expanded access to channels and content during the promotional window.

The post DStv Halves Decoder Price, Offers Free Package Upgrade Amid Declining Customers appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECH DIGEST- In a move that has sparked concern among telecommunication companies, Multichoice recently issued a notice to subscribers, detailing a scheduled three-day technical downtime. This announcement came barely 48 hours before concerns were raised regarding the potential impact of ongoing construction on the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

Multichoice, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, acknowledged the expected effect of the Lagos-Calabar construction project on their uplink facilities. However, telecommunications firms have since voiced broader concerns, underscoring the critical role of telecommunication services and the ramifications of potential technical disruptions.

The Lagos-Calabar coastal highway corridor is not just any thoroughfare; it serves as a pivotal landing point for multiple submarine cables connecting Nigeria to Europe. These cables, which include the West Africa Cable System (WACS), MainOne, Glo1, ACE, and NCSCS, form the backbone of international communications and data transmission within the country.

Approved by the Federal Executive Council in February, Phase One of the ambitious 700-km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project has been entrusted to Hitech Construction Company Limited. This project aims to link Lagos to Cross River, traversing the coastal states of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom before reaching its destination in Cross River.

However, the construction process has not been without its challenges. Numerous properties and recreational centers in Lagos have been demolished to expedite highway construction, raising concerns among telecommunications stakeholders.

In response to these developments, telecommunication companies are emphasizing the importance of stakeholder consultations with the Ministry of Works to address potential risks and implement robust mitigation measures. Despite the urgency of the situation, dialogue between the Federal Government and telecommunication stakeholders has yet to take place.

Expressing their apprehension, Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), confirmed that the Ministry of Works had failed to engage with telcos on environmental impact assessments. Adebayo highlighted the exclusion of telecom operators from stakeholder engagements led by David Umahi, the Minister of Works, further exacerbating concerns within the industry.

As construction progresses on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, telecommunication companies are urging caution from Hitech Construction to prevent any damage to critical national infrastructure. Amidst the evolving situation, stakeholders await a proactive response from the government to safeguard telecommunications services and maintain uninterrupted connectivity throughout the construction process.

The post Lagos-Calabar Highway Construction Threatens Telcom Connectivity appeared first on Tech Digest News.

TECHDIGEST – The Nigerian Senate has ordered all pay-tv service providers in Nigeria to review their bouquet prices downwards.

The Senate gave the directive during plenary on Wednesday following a debate on the demand by Nigerians seeking pay-per-view subscription model.

The Senate also directed the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and the Nigerian Communications Commission to direct all pay-tv providers to introduce a pay-per-view model of subscription.

READ ALSO : Nigeria Startup Bill Passes Second Reading At Senate

What the Senate is saying

Leading the debate, Senator Abba Moro told the chamber that MultiChoice increased its prices without putting into consideration the current economic situation of the country.

He said, “MultiChoice Nigeria willfully and perpetually increases the cost of its bundles because there is no regulation whatsoever in the area of fixing rates and without recourse to the economic situation of the country.

“MultiChoice has again raised the cost of DStv and GOtv bundles.

He noted that “Nigerians are demanding that, rather than paying fixed rates for packages monthly, pay-tv service providers should introduce a subscription model which allows subscribers pay-per-view to enable them to match their TV consumption to subscription as it is with the case of electricity metering and mobile telephony.”

Supporting the motion, Senator Yusuf A Yusuf said he supported the motion for MultiChoice tariff to be reviewed downwards.

“This is high time we stand up firmly and face MultiChoice to make sure we protect Nigerians. I support that their rates is scaled downward.

“And at the same time, there should also be a luxury charge on DStvNg to make sure that Nigerians also benefit in another way,” Senator Yusuf said.

Also supporting the motion for a downward review of tariff, Senator Barau Jibrin said Nigerians are being short-changed by pay-tv operators.

He said “They (pay-tv) increase fees whenever they like without considering the service they provide to Nigerians. Their service is poor, they don’t give what Nigerians are supposed to have.”

“Because of the nature of electricity we have in this country, sometimes someone will pay but lack of light won’t allow the person enjoy such services yet once the month ends, that money goes. There should be a system where there will be pay-per-view.”

“Again, the regulators should do the needful by not allowing an increase of fees by these entities the way they like. It is not in the interest of our people. I thereby support this motion because we need to stand for the interest of our people,” Senator Jibrin said.

Ahmed Lawan, the Senate President concluded by saying, “What DStv Nigeria is doing here, they can’t do it in many countries, but here they do it and get away with it. So we need to have a public hearing.

Speaking further, he said, “Our ad-hoc committee should be given the mandate to do a whole scale investigation.”

“The Committee has one month to report back to the Senate and at the end of the day, we should have all these unnecessary payments we make to DSTV Nigeria reversed if they can’t justify it,” the Senate President said.

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