MultiChoice pulls the plug on Showmax

MultiChoice has officially shut down Showmax, ending a decade-long attempt to build a viable African streaming platform. Launched in 2015 and relaunched as Showmax 2.0 in February 2024 across 44 African markets after a major partnership with NBCUniversal and Sky, the platform never achieved commercial viability. Trading losses reached R4.9-billion in the year ended March 2025, an 88% increase year-on-year. Key structural challenges included low broadband penetration, high data costs, and intense competition from global giants like Netflix. MultiChoice, now owned by Canal+, says it will develop an in-house streaming platform and continue investing in premium content for DStv subscribers.