• Super Admin
• 06 Mar, 2026

Canal+ is preparing to discontinue the streaming platform Showmax following its takeover of MultiChoice Group, as the media giant restructures its digital streaming strategy and cuts operating costs. The move follows an internal review of streaming operations by Canal+ and MultiChoice, which concluded that maintaining the Showmax platform was no longer commercially sustainable in the increasingly competitive global streaming market. Brandspur Brand News gathered that the decision was approved by the Showmax board after the service struggled to achieve projected subscriber growth despite heavy investment in technology and original content. Showmax was introduced across Africa in August 2015 by MultiChoice as a regional streaming alternative to global services such as Netflix, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+. Read also: A Roadmap For MultiChoice Nigeria Under Kemi Omotosho In an attempt to strengthen its competitiveness, MultiChoice relaunched the platform in February 2024 through a strategic partnership with NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. The relaunch integrated advanced streaming technology from NBCUniversal's Peacock platform and aimed to accelerate subscriber growth across African markets. However, industry reports indicate that the revamped platform continued to struggle to attract the expected number of subscribers despite major financial backing. MultiChoice and NBCUniversal reportedly injected about $309 million into the platform to support content production and digital infrastructure. Financial disclosures before the Canal+ acquisition also revealed worsening trading losses for Showmax, which rose by about 88 percent, while revenue growth remained below projections. Canal+ completed its acquisition of MultiChoice in September 2025 and has since launched an aggressive restructuring programme aimed at reducing operational costs and achieving savings estimated at €400 million by 2030. Despite the shutdown plans, MultiChoice has assured employees that the closure will not lead to layoffs. The company explained that the acquisition agreement with Canal+ includes provisions preventing staff retrenchment for three years following the takeover. As part of the transition, several original productions previously created for Showmax are already being repositioned for broadcast on MultiChoice's television channels, including Africa Magic, M-Net, Mzansi Magic and kykNET. The platform had experimented with innovative subscription models in recent years, including mobile-only entertainment packages and a special streaming plan that allowed football fans to watch English Premier League matches on their phones at lower subscription rates. Executives at Canal+ have indicated that the company will continue to invest in premium content and digital technology for MultiChoice's broader entertainment ecosystem as it strengthens its position in Africa's fast-growing media and broadcasting industry. Source: https://brandspurng.com/2026/03/06/canal-plans-to-shut-down-showmax-after-multichoice-acquisition/