Canal+, French media giant, is reportedly eyeing the full takeover of Showmax, the African streaming platform jointly owned with MultiChoice Group.
This followed its recent push to expand across the continent’s digital entertainment market.
The move comes after Canal+ completed its acquisition of MultiChoice to strengthening its hold on Africa’s pay-TV and streaming ecosystem.
With Showmax being a key growth asset under the partnership, industry analysts say a full takeover could give Canal+ end-to-end control of content production, distribution, and subscription revenue in multiple markets.
The acquisition would also align with Canal+’s broader strategy to rival global streaming giants such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video by leveraging African content demand and localized storytelling.
According to RipplesNigeria, Ayo Balogun, Media and Telecoms Analyst, CardinalStone Partners, while reacting to the move, said: “Canal+’s full acquisition of Showmax would mark a decisive step in consolidating Africa’s digital media value chain.
“With MultiChoice now under its control, Canal+ can fully integrate content, distribution, and streaming into a single monetizable ecosystem—something we’ve not seen before on this scale in Africa.”
Thandiwe Mokoena, Senior Media Strategist, Johannesburg, added: “This move gives Canal+ strategic dominance in both the pay-TV and OTT spaces. It positions them not only as a regional player but also as a continental gatekeeper for premium African content. The competitive pressure on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in Africa will rise sharply if this takeover goes through.”
Financial markets are closely watching how the potential consolidation could reshape Africa’s media landscape, particularly in terms of valuation, competition law, and licensing rights.
