DStv’s owner, MultiChoice, is reportedly developing a new sports package and pay-per-view option as it faces a steep drop in subscribers and a 44% revenue decline in Nigeria. The company confirmed that its active subscriber base in Nigeria fell by 18% over the year to March, part of a broader 9% drop across its Rest of Africa segment, driven by inflation, currency devaluation, and rising living costs.
In addition, a separate 900,000-subscriber loss across the continent, including 243,000 in Nigeria between April and September, has sparked a strategic pivot. MultiChoice’s CFO acknowledged that subscribers are leaving due to price hikes and lack of fresh content, with former users citing “exorbitant prices” and outdated programming.
To stem the decline, MultiChoice plans to introduce standalone sports channels and pay-per-view services, allowing customers to subscribe only to key sporting content. This move aims to compete more effectively with streaming platforms like Netflix, which have capitalized on flexible, cost-effective viewing models. The sports-focused packages are expected to appeal to fans disillusioned with the all-or-nothing pricing of traditional DStv bundles. MultiChoice, in turn, is betting that targeted sports content will help stabilize subscriber revenue and slow the exit trend.
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