French media giant Canal+ has finalized its acquisition of MultiChoice Group, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, in a landmark $3 billion (approximately 55 billion rand) deal approved by South Africa’s Competition Tribunal on Wednesday, July 23.
The acquisition gives Canal+ the remaining 55% stake it did not previously own, marking the culmination of months of negotiations and regulatory scrutiny. The deal is set to be completed by October 8, 2025.
As part of its approval, the Competition Tribunal imposed a series of public interest conditions to safeguard local content production and preserve South Africa’s media sovereignty. Canal+ is now required to invest approximately 26 billion rand over the next three years in initiatives that align with these national priorities.
Describing the acquisition as “transformative,” Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada said, “The combined group will benefit from enhanced scale, greater exposure to high-growth markets, and the ability to deliver meaningful synergies.”
Canal+ currently operates in 25 African countries with more than eight million subscribers. By fully integrating MultiChoice’s 14.5 million subscribers across 50 sub-Saharan nations, Canal+ aims to grow its African footprint to as many as 100 million subscribers in the coming years.
The merger will create a multilingual content powerhouse, blending Canal+’s French-language offerings with MultiChoice’s English and Portuguese content. Flagship platforms such as DStv, GOtv, and SuperSport are central to this expansion.
MultiChoice is expected to benefit from a significant capital injection that will support local content creation, technology upgrades, and digital innovation. Canal+ also committed to retaining MultiChoice’s South African headquarters and continuing investment in sports broadcasting.
In a joint statement, both companies reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening South Africa’s media industry: “We will maintain funding for South African general entertainment and sports content, providing local content creators with a strong foundation for future success.”