Africa: Multichoice Loses 1.2m Subscribers but Returns to Profit On Cost Cuts

Africa: Multichoice Loses 1.2m Subscribers but Returns to Profit On Cost Cuts


  • MultiChoice Group reported a net profit of R1.8 billion (over US$100 million) for the fiscal year ending 31 March 2025
  • The drop represents an 8% decline, with losses evenly split between South Africa and the rest of the continent
  • In South Africa, households facing a cost-of-living crisis were forced to cancel DStv subscriptions, impacting all market segments.

MultiChoice Group reported a net profit of R1.8 billion (over $100 million) for the fiscal year ending 31 March 2025, despite losing 1.2 million pay-TV subscribers across Africa. The drop represents an 8% decline, with losses evenly split between South Africa and the rest of the continent.

The company now serves 14.5 million active subscribers, with declines attributed to economic pressures. In South Africa, households facing a cost-of-living crisis were forced to cancel DStv subscriptions, impacting all market segments.

While traditional pay-TV suffered, streaming services recorded strong growth. DStv Stream subscribers rose 38%, with revenue up 48%. Add-on service Extra Stream tripled its revenue, while DStv Internet expanded subscribers by 45%, boosting revenue by 85%.

Despite an average 5.7% price increase across services, overall subscription revenue fell 3%, reflecting weaker household affordability. However, decoder sales grew 17% due to adjusted pricing strategies that reduced subsidies.

Showmax also posted a 44% increase in paying users, supported by price changes in March 2025 to cover rising operational and content costs. The results come as MultiChoice progresses in its proposed sale to Groupe Canal+, which has offered R125 per share.