African pay-TV set to soar over next five years
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Joseph O'Halloran
| 04 January 2021
A study from Digital TV Research is predicting that nearly 17 million pay-TV subscribers will be added in Africa between 2020 and 2026 to take the total to 51 million.
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The Africa Pay-TV Forecasts report envisages solid growth across the region, characterised by a secular decline in the hitherto dominant satellite sector. Indeed the report notes that while at the end of 2020, leading provider Multichoice had 15.51 million subs across its DStv satellite TV platform and GOtv DTT service, this total will grow to 19.67 million by 2026, with a marked slowdown of satellite TV growth.

Looking at other operators, China-based StarTimes/StarSat will enjoy the most impressive growth: from 10.11 million subs at end-2020 to 16.86 million by 2026. France’s Vivendi had 5.41 million subs to its Canal Plus satellite TV platform and Easy TV by end-2020, which will climb to 7.90 million by 2026.

Regarding the hot countries for pay-TV across the continent, the Africa Pay-TV Forecasts report predicts that by 2026 Nigeria will have close to 11 million subs, with South Africa bringing in another 9 million.