Hot SourceCanal+ Group, the media conglomerate controlled by French billionaire Vincent Bollore through Vivendi SE, is facing a potential setback in its bid for Africa’s largest pay-TV operator, MultiChoice Group Ltd., after Ghana ordered a suspension of its local operations over subscription rate disputes.
Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) issued the shutdown order after MultiChoice declined to slash its subscription fees by 30 percent by the August 7 deadline. The regulator has given the company 30 days—until September 8—to respond or risk losing its broadcasting license.
The dispute underscores mounting tensions across Africa over rising pay-TV costs, with Ghana joining Nigeria, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, and Namibia in pushing back against fee hikes amid high inflation and currency depreciation.
MultiChoice, which operates DStv and GOtv across 50 African countries, raised Ghanaian subscription fees by 15 percent in April with little public notice. Communications Minister Samuel George demanded a sharp reduction, but the company argued that such cuts were “not tenable” in the current macroeconomic climate.
“We’ve tried to keep fees as low as possible despite the challenging environment,” said MultiChoice Ghana Managing Director Alex Okyere. He warned that a sudden shutdown could cost jobs across the company’s network of staff, installers, agents, and retailers.
The NCA’s action could have wider implications. If other governments follow Ghana’s lead, Canal+’s planned African expansion through MultiChoice could face headwinds before the acquisition is finalized.
Canal+, which already owns more than 43.5 percent of MultiChoice, secured antitrust clearance for the takeover but still awaits final regulatory approval in South Africa. The long-stop date for completion is October 8, 2025, though CEO Maxime Saada has pledged swift operational changes once the deal closes.
“We will not wait for next year to make changes,” Saada said on an earnings call. “We intend to bring benefits to consumers across Africa before the year ends and launch a synergy plan immediately after taking control.”
The acquisition is central to Canal+’s strategy to capture growth in African markets. With over 22 million subscribers, MultiChoice strengthens Canal+’s distribution footprint, expands streaming capabilities through Showmax, and enhances its competitive edge against Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
A key question is the future of Showmax, MultiChoice’s streaming venture with NBCUniversal, which has yet to reach profitability. Canal+ already operates its own streaming service, has stakes in Viaplay and VIU, and is expected to align its platforms for efficiency and scale.
The French group has also invested in African content creators, including Senegal’s Marodi TV, to bolster local engagement and differentiate from global competitors.
For Bolloré—worth $10.2 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index—the deal reinforces his long-standing influence over Africa’s media landscape and his ambition to dominate the continent’s pay-TV and streaming markets.
Source: billionaires.africa
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