MultiChoice, CANAL+ cut DStv tiers to four and lower prices in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya

CANAL+ and MultiChoice will reduce DStv subscription tiers to four and cut prices in several African markets, including Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, from November 5, 2026. The overhaul is part of the “Expect More” campaign, which targets affordability and subscriber growth as competition in Africa’s pay-TV market intensifies.

Subscribers in several markets will move to Starter, Select, Sports and Ultimate packages. The existing Premium offering will be rebranded as Ultimate. Nigeria will keep Premium as its highest tier, while South Africa and Botswana will maintain five packages.

New prices for subscribers

In Ghana, the four packages will cost GH¢50, GH¢100, GH¢250 and GH¢570 monthly. The prices follow discussions between the government and MultiChoice over subscription affordability. In Kenya, Starter will cost KES750, Select KES1,500, Sports KES3,000 and Ultimate KES7,300, down from KES11,700 for the previous highest-tier package. Uganda’s packages are priced at Shs25,000, Shs60,000, Shs100,000 and Shs185,000.

In Nigeria, DStv Starter will cost N6,000, Select N11,000, Sports N21,000 monthly, and premium N44,500 monthly.

Sports and entertainment mix

The new Sports package will provide access to every English Premier League and UEFA Champions League match, alongside WWE and UFC programming. Ultimate subscribers will get additional sporting content, including Formula 1, MotoGP, cricket, rugby, tennis and golf, depending on the market.

Speaking at the launch in Nairobi, MultiChoice Kenya CEO Nzola Miranda said the restructuring reflects a shift towards increasing subscriber numbers rather than relying on higher subscription fees. “You either increase prices, you get more money from fewer people, or you increase the number of customers, even if they pay less,” Miranda said.

Kemi Omotosho, CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria, said: “Our focus is on giving subscribers better value and access to the entertainment they love. The strength of our platform is the combination of African entertainment, leading international content and unrivalled live sports in one place. We’ve reimagined our packages to better reflect how customers watch today, with tailored options specifically for general entertainment and sports fans.”

Subscriber pressure and CANAL+ control

The restructuring comes as CANAL+ tries to revive MultiChoice’s subscriber base after years of declining subscriptions and repeated price increases across several African markets. MultiChoice Nigeria lost 1.4 million subscribers between March 2023 and March 2025, accounting for 77% of subscriber losses across the group’s Rest of Africa operations. The company blamed inflation, fuel scarcity and other economic pressures.

MultiChoice Nigeria cut its DStv decoder price by 50% from N20,000 to N10,000 in June 2025, alongside promotional subscription upgrades aimed at attracting customers. In September 2025, MultiChoice Ghana agreed to reduce DStv subscription prices after pressure from the Ghanaian government, which demanded a 30% reduction over affordability concerns.

CANAL+ announced a €100 million investment plan in March 2026 to revive MultiChoice’s growth after declining subscribers and revenue across its African operations. The latest restructuring follows CANAL+’s $3 billion acquisition of MultiChoice, finalised in September 2025, which gave the French media group control of the African pay-TV operator.

For Nigerian subscribers, the new DStv prices set a lower entry point while keeping Premium at N44,500 monthly. The test will be whether cheaper tiers pull back subscribers without weakening MultiChoice’s revenue base.