The parent company of DStv and GOtv, MultiChoice Group, has been fully acquired by the French media conglomerate Canal+ in a historic $3 billion (roughly 55 billion rand) transaction. The South African Competition Tribunal authorised the transaction on Wednesday, July 23, giving Canal+ the remaining 55% interest it did not previously control.
Following months of rigorous discussions and regulatory examinations, the permission opens the door for the agreement to be finalised by October 8, 2025. The Tribunal granted approval but placed a number of public interest restrictions to safeguard indigenous material and uphold South Africa’s media independence.
The agreement marks Canal+’s significant strategic entry into the rapidly growing media and entertainment sector in Africa. Already operating in 25 African nations with over eight million customers, Canal+ is now positioned to significantly grow up its presence, targeting 50 to 100 million users throughout the continent in the next years.
With over 14.5 million members across 50 sub-Saharan African nations, MultiChoice is Africa’s largest pay-TV provider. Its key platforms include DStv and GOtv. SuperSport and other high-end content brands are housed within the company, which makes it a desirable acquisition for the French media giant.
While speaking, Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada described the transaction as revolutionary, stating: “The combined group will benefit from enhanced scale, greater exposure to high-growth markets, and the ability to deliver meaningful synergies.”
The combination of Canal+’s French-language programming with MultiChoice’s preeminent English and Portuguese offerings is one of the merger’s main advantages; it creates a multilingual media behemoth that can cater to a wide range of African audiences.
In addition to its strategic importance, the acquisition gives MultiChoice a timely boost. The agreement is anticipated to provide the South African broadcaster with new funding, allowing for greater investments in digital innovation, technology advancements, and local content creation.
Canal+ has agreed to invest over 26 billion rand over the next three years on projects that support South Africa’s public interest goals as part of the Competition Tribunal’s conditional approval. These include keeping MultiChoice’s South African headquarters, continuing to fund local programming and sports broadcasting, and assisting regional content producers.
In a joint statement, both companies 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.”
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