Canal+ Acquires Full Ownership of MultiChoice in $3 Billion Deal

French media giant Canal+ has officially taken full control of MultiChoice Group—the parent company of DStv and GOtv—after securing regulatory approval for a $3 billion (about 55 billion rand) takeover.

The landmark deal, which gives Canal+ the remaining 55% stake it did not already own, was approved by South Africa’s Competition Tribunal on Wednesday, July 23. Finalization is expected by October 8, 2025.

While granting approval, the Tribunal attached several public interest conditions aimed at preserving South Africa’s media independence and supporting local content production.

Already active in 25 African countries with over 8 million subscribers, Canal+ aims to grow its reach to as many as 100 million users across the continent. With the acquisition of MultiChoice—Africa’s largest pay-TV provider with 14.5 million subscribers in 50 sub-Saharan countries—Canal+ now commands an even stronger position in the market.

“This is a transformative deal,” said Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada. “It gives us scale, access to fast-growing markets, and the ability to generate meaningful synergies.”

The merger will also integrate Canal+’s French-language programming with MultiChoice’s English and Portuguese content, creating a multilingual platform designed to serve Africa’s diverse audience.

As part of the agreement, Canal+ will invest 26 billion rand over the next three years in initiatives that benefit South Africa, including local content creation, sports broadcasting, and tech development. The company will also retain MultiChoice’s headquarters in South Africa.

Canal+ began its acquisition efforts in 2023 with a mandatory offer of 125 rand per share. Now with full ownership, the French company is set to reshape the future of pay-TV in Africa.