MultiChoice Scraps Annual Price Hikes For DStv, GOtv Subcribers as New Owners Prioritises Growth
- MultiChoice halts April price increase for DStv and GOtv subscribers, marking a strategic shift under Canal+ ownership
- Significant subscriber losses prompt Canal+ to prioritise stabilising MultiChoice's customer base amid changing market dynamics
- Future price adjustments hinge on economic factors, though Canal+ aims for growth without immediate price hikes
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
For the first time in years, MultiChoice has scrapped its customary April price increase for DStv and GOtv subscribers, marking a notable shift in strategy under its new majority owner, Canal+.
The decision was confirmed by MultiChoice Group chief executive David Mignot in an interview with TechCentral, where he made it clear that subscribers will not face an increase this April.
Source: Getty Images
For households that have grown accustomed to annual adjustments, the move offers rare financial breathing space.
Historically, April has been synonymous with tariff reviews. MultiChoice often cited inflation, currency pressures and rising content costs as reasons for increasing subscription fees. As recently as April 2025, prices were raised by between 2.1 per cent and 7.9 per cent across various bouquets.
The popular DStv Premium package climbed from R929 to R979 per month, while entry-level offerings such as DStv Access recorded some of the sharpest percentage increases.
This year’s freeze signals a clear departure from that pattern.
Canal+ acquisition triggers strategic reset
The pricing pause comes months after Canal+ completed its acquisition of MultiChoice in September 2025. Since taking control, the French media giant has indicated that stabilising and growing the subscriber base is now the immediate priority.
Mignot, a pay television executive with three decades of industry experience, has made his objective straightforward: stop the bleeding and return the business to growth.
While he ruled out an April increase, he acknowledged that price adjustments later in the year have not been entirely excluded.
Any future decision, he suggested, would depend on broader economic factors such as sharp currency movements or major cost pressures.
Subscriber losses raise alarm
Behind the decision lies a stark reality. MultiChoice has experienced significant subscriber losses over the past two years.
In the two years ending 31 March 2025, the company lost 2.8 million linear broadcasting subscribers, with around half of those losses occurring in South Africa.
TextNet24 reported that In the 2025 financial year alone, 1.2 million subscribers dropped off, an eight per cent year-on-year decline, leaving the group with 14.5 million active customers.
The previous year saw an even larger fall of 1.6 million subscribers, according to a report by Nigerian Tribune.
By June 2025, Canal+ indicated that the pace of subscriber decline had accelerated further, raising concerns about the sustainability of the traditional pay-TV model in a market increasingly shaped by streaming platforms and tighter household budgets.
Revenue and profit take a hit
The financial impact of the subscriber slide has been substantial. Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2025 fell by R4 billion to R52 billion.
Trading profit dropped sharply by 49 per cent to R4 billion.
According to Mignot, the company’s difficulties are not primarily rooted in content quality. Instead, he argues that commercial execution and subscriber acquisition have weakened.
In subscription businesses, he explained, annual churn of between 12 and 15 per cent is normal as customers relocate, lose jobs or reprioritise spending.
The real challenge is replacing those customers with new ones at a similar pace. When acquisition slows, losses quickly compound.
Betting on content strength and volume growth
Despite the setbacks, MultiChoice maintains that its content portfolio remains robust.
Flagship brands such as SuperSport, M-Net and Africa Magic continue to anchor its offering in sport and entertainment.
Mignot believes the programming slate is not the core issue. Instead, he is leaning on a volume-driven strategy similar to Canal+’s approach in French-speaking African markets, where pricing has remained largely stable for nearly 14 years while subscriber numbers grew.
He has not ruled out possible price reductions in the future, though no such decision has been taken.
What subscribers can expect
The price freeze comes just ahead of Canal+’s first combined financial results presentation since the takeover, scheduled for 11 March.
The briefing is expected to outline the group’s broader strategy following the acquisition.
Source: Getty Images
For now, DStv and GOtv subscribers can expect stable bills in April. Whether holding prices steady will be enough to reverse subscriber losses remains to be seen, but the message from new ownership is clear: growth now takes priority over price hikes.
DStv, GOtv owner slashes decoder prices again
Legit.ng earlier reported that MultiChoice is tightening its focus on affordability as competition from streaming platforms continues to bite.
The pay TV operator announced fresh price cuts on DStv decoders, added more channels to its entry-level package, and introduced a shared payment option aimed at keeping cost-conscious households subscribed in South Africa.
The moves come as DStv grapples with sustained subscriber losses following the 2025 takeover of MultiChoice by France’s Canal+.
Source: Legit.ng
