- MultiChoice Group has announced the planned closure of its video-on-demand platform, Showmax, citing persistent annual losses and intense competition from global streaming giants.
- The decision comes shortly after the acquisition of MultiChoice by French media powerhouse Canal+, which is reportedly streamlining digital investments and shifting focus toward more efficient resource allocation.
- Despite a major technical relaunch in 2024, the service struggled with structural challenges across the African continent, including limited broadband access and high operational costs.
Popular African Digital Entertainment, MultiChoice Group has confirmed it will wind down its flagship streaming service, Showmax.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the the app, launched in 2015 as a homegrown competitor to platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, Showmax spent over a decade attempting to bridge the gap between global cinema and locally produced African content.
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However, the media group revealed on Thursday, March 5, 2026, that the platform’s current business model is no longer sustainable under the new strategic direction set by its parent company, Canal+.
The French media giant, which recently completed its takeover of MultiChoice, indicated that the closure is part of a “comprehensive evaluation” aimed at tightening financial discipline.
While Showmax enjoyed a significant following, bolstered by a massive investment in 2024 to upgrade its infrastructure and content library, it continued to report substantial annual losses.
The pressure of competing with international services that possess massive global budgets, combined with the slow pace of broadband expansion across various African regions, created a “perfect storm” that made profitability elusive.
Subscribers have been informed that the service will remain operational for a transitional period, meaning there is no immediate need to cancel subscriptions.
In a reassuring move for the workforce, MultiChoice and Canal+ stated that the shutdown is not expected to result in job losses.
Instead, employees currently attached to the Showmax brand will be redeployed to other digital initiatives within the group as it redirects its focus toward premium content for traditional DStv and GOtv customers.
The disappearance of Showmax from the African market will likely leave a significant void in the production of local “Originals,” which the platform had become famous for.
Over the years, Showmax had invested heavily in Nigerian, South African, and Kenyan dramas, reality shows, and films, often giving African creators a global stage.
As the platform prepares to exit the stage, industry analysts are watching closely to see how Canal+ will incorporate African storytelling into its new digital strategy and whether a successor platform will emerge to take its place.
