MultiChoice Group, owned by Canal+, has announced it will discontinue Showmax, ending the streaming platform launched to compete with Netflix in Africa.
The decision ends a service first launched in 2015 and relaunched in 2024. According to the company, the move reflects its focus on financial discipline and investment optimisation in a competitive global streaming market.
“The substantial annual losses experienced by the Showmax business have proved unsustainable. The decision to phase out Showmax reflects our focus on building a sustainable, competitive business for the long term in an increasingly demanding global streaming environment,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.
Two weeks ago, MultiChoice Group chief executive officer David Mignot told South African publication TechCentral that Showmax “can’t continue” in its current form.
“Financially speaking, business-wise speaking, the thing is not flying,” he said.
In January, Canal+ chief executive officer Maxime Saada told analysts that Showmax was “not a commercial success – it’s quite obvious”.
Showmax recorded trading losses of R2.6 billion (N219 billion) for the year ended 31 March 2024. Losses rose by 88 per cent to R4.9 billion (N412 billion) for the year ended 31 March 2025, reducing MultiChoice Group’s trading profit by 49 per cent to R4 billion (N336 billion). The company said subscriber growth and revenue were “well short” of its 2025 targets.
MultiChoice had partnered in 2023 with Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky to relaunch the platform. NBCUniversal acquired a 30 per cent stake, providing streaming technology and international content.
The revamped platform, known as Showmax 2.0, launched in February 2024 across 44 African markets but failed to meet projections.
Nigerian originals on the platform included Wura, Agu, Cheta’M, Flawsome, Freemen, Sadau Sisters, The Counsellor, Diiche, Crime and Justice Lagos and The Real Housewives of Lagos.
MultiChoice said the decision to discontinue Showmax “will not involve any retrenchments”, adding that employees will be supported through “various transition options”.
“Canal+ will continue to invest in premium content for MultiChoice subscribers, technological innovation and strategic partnerships to consolidate its leadership in the African entertainment market,” the company said, adding that further details on its content offering and platform upgrades would be shared “in due course”.
