Canal+ Acquires Full Ownership of MultiChoice in $3 Billion Deal

French media giant Canal+ has officially acquired full control of MultiChoice Group, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, in a landmark $3 billion (R55 billion) deal approved by South Africa’s Competition Tribunal on July 23.

The acquisition gives Canal+ the remaining 55% stake it did not already own, solidifying its position as a dominant force in Africa’s media and entertainment industry. The deal is expected to be finalized by October 8, 2025.

While approving the deal, the Tribunal imposed public interest conditions aimed at protecting local content and media sovereignty. Canal+ has pledged to invest R26 billion over the next three years to support local content, sports broadcasting, and South African creators.

Canal+ currently operates in 25 African countries with over eight million subscribers and aims to expand to as many as 100 million across the continent. The integration of Canal+’s French-language content with MultiChoice’s English and Portuguese offerings is expected to create a multilingual media powerhouse.

Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada stated the merger as transformative, adding that the combined entity will benefit from scale, expanded reach, and stronger investment capacity in high-growth African markets.