Canal+, a French media conglomerate, has officially acquired full ownership of MultiChoice Group, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, in a landmark $3 billion (approx. 55 billion rand) transaction.
On Wednesday, July 23, South Africa’s Competition Tribunal authorised the transaction, which gives Canal+ the remaining 55% interest that it did not previously own.
The decision comes after months of arduous discussions and regulatory assessments, and it clears the way for the transaction to be completed by October 8, 2025.
While the Tribunal issued its approval, it placed various public interest restrictions to protect local content and preserve South Africa’s media sovereignty.
The agreement signifies Canal+’s significant strategic expansion into Africa’s thriving media and entertainment market.
Canal+ is now present in 25 African nations, with over eight million users, and is now poised to rapidly expand its presence across the continent, targeting 50 to 100 million customers in the next years.
MultiChoice, Africa’s largest pay-TV broadcaster, has over 14.5 million customers in 50 Sub-Saharan African nations, including flagship platforms such as DStv and GOtv.
The company also owns premium content brands such as SuperSport, making it an appealing acquisition for the French media giant.
Describing the deal as transformative, Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada said, “The combined group will benefit from enhanced scale, greater exposure to high-growth markets and the ability to deliver meaningful synergies.”
One of the merger’s primary benefits is the integration of Canal+’s French-language content with MultiChoice’s dominant English and Portuguese offerings, resulting in a multilingual media powerhouse capable of serving diverse African audiences.
Beyond strategic importance, the acquisition provides a timely boost to MultiChoice.
The deal is expected to inject new capital into the South African broadcaster, allowing for increased investment in local content production, technology upgrades, and digital innovation.
Canal+ has agreed to spending roughly 26 billion rand over the next three years on initiatives consistent with South Africa’s public interest objectives in exchange for conditional clearance from the Competition Tribunal.
These include retaining MultiChoice’s headquarters in South Africa, continuing to invest in local content and sports broadcasting, and supporting local content creators.
In a joint statement, both firms reaffirmed their commitment to the South African media ecosystem: “We will maintain funding for South African general entertainment and sports content, providing local content creators with a strong foundation for future success.”
Canal+ launched its acquisition proposal in 2023 with a forced buyout offer of 125 rand per share, valuing MultiChoice at almost $3 billion.
With complete ownership now secured, the French media behemoth is ready to revolutionise Africa’s pay-TV sector, tapping into its enormous potentials.
