This morning, the 5th March 2026, I woke up to an email from Showmax that immediately caught my attention.

The subject line simply read: “Important Update.”

The email, sent by the MultiChoice team, stated that the Showmax Board has decided to discontinue the Showmax service in the near future following a comprehensive review.

The wording was careful and measured. The company emphasized that there will be no immediate interruption of service, and that Showmax subscribers can continue streaming for now.

But the direction of travel seems quite clear.

Showmax, in its current form, appears to be heading towards the end of the road.

The irony here is that just last night I was watching the Brighton vs Arsenal English Premier League match on Showmax while working late into the night. My team Arsenal won — which made the evening worthwhile — but waking up this morning to learn that the very platform I had used to watch the game may soon disappear felt surreal.

It also raises a much bigger question.

If Showmax disappears, what comes next for streaming in Kenya and across Africa?

The Email That Signals the Beginning of the End

The email I received reads in part:

“Following a comprehensive review, the Showmax Board has taken the decision to discontinue the Showmax service in the near future.”

It goes on to say that the decision reflects a focus on strengthening MultiChoice’s overall digital offering and ensuring long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive streaming environment.

In other words, the decision appears to be rooted in one central issue:

Showmax is not commercially viable in its current form.

This aligns with recent signals coming from Canal+, which recently completed its acquisition of MultiChoice. Canal+ executives have already acknowledged publicly that Showmax has struggled to become profitable despite significant investment.

But the situation is more complex than simply labeling Showmax a failure.

Showmax Was Built for a Different Kind of Market

When Showmax launched nearly a decade ago, its ambition was not to become the African version of Netflix.

Instead, it was designed to solve a very specific problem.

The African entertainment market is fundamentally different from Western markets.

In Kenya and the rest of Africa:

• Most consumers watch content on mobile phones rather than televisions
• Many rely on mobile money payments like M-Pesa
• Disposable income for entertainment subscriptions is relatively limited
• Internet access is improving but data costs still matter

Showmax was built with these realities in mind.

It focused on:

• Affordable subscription tiers
• Mobile-first streaming
• Offline downloads
• Local African content
• Sports streaming through Showmax 

Conceptually, this approach made a lot of sense.

And in markets like Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, Showmax managed to attract a meaningful subscriber base among viewers who were not willing or able to subscribe to full DStv satellite packages.

The Economics of Streaming Are Brutal

Despite the strategic logic behind Showmax, the commercial realities of streaming are unforgiving.

Producing or licensing premium content is extremely expensive.

Sports rights in particular — especially the English Premier League — command enormous fees.

At the same time, the audience that Showmax targeted is highly price-sensitive.

That creates a difficult equation.

Consumers want affordable streaming.

But premium content requires high revenue.

And when you combine that with the additional pressures facing MultiChoice as a whole, the challenges become even clearer.

MultiChoice’s Larger Structural Problem

Showmax’s struggles cannot be separated from the broader challenges facing MultiChoice.

The company’s traditional pay-TV model — built around satellite broadcasting through DStv and terrestrial broadcasting through GOtv — is under increasing pressure across Africa.

Several factors are contributing to this:

Rising subscription costs

Premium DStv packages remain expensive for many African households.

In Kenya, monthly costs for higher-tier packages can easily exceed KES 8,000.

For many consumers, this is simply unaffordable.

Changing viewing habits

Younger audiences — particularly Millennials and Gen Z — increasingly consume content on mobile devices rather than traditional television.

Platforms like YouTube, Netflix, TikTok and social media video are competing aggressively for attention.

The rise of IPTV piracy

One of the most disruptive forces in the market has been the rapid growth of illegal IPTV streaming services.

Across Kenya and many other African markets, these services offer access to entire satellite television bouquets — including live sports — for a fraction of the cost of legitimate subscriptions.

Quality may be inconsistent, but the price difference is significant.

Live Sports Remain the Biggest Driver

Despite all these changes, one factor continues to drive subscriptions more than anything else.

Live sports.

More specifically, the English Premier League.

For many viewers across Africa, football is the primary reason they subscribe to MultiChoice services.

This was exactly my experience last night watching Arsenal play Brighton on Showmax.

Without live sports, many consumers would simply cancel their subscriptions altogether.

Which is why any decision around Showmax inevitably raises the question of how MultiChoice plans to deliver sports content to streaming audiences going forward.

If Showmax Disappears, A Huge Gap Will Emerge

If Showmax eventually shuts down, millions of consumers across Africa may suddenly find themselves without an affordable legal streaming option.

These consumers are typically people who:

• Prefer streaming on mobile devices
• Cannot justify the cost of full DStv packages
• Mainly want access to sports content
• Use mobile money payments rather than traditional billing systems

Unless MultiChoice introduces an alternative offering quickly, many of these viewers may simply migrate to piracy.

What MultiChoice Might Be Planning Next

It is difficult to imagine MultiChoice abandoning the streaming market entirely.

More likely, the discontinuation of Showmax signals a transition toward new streaming propositions.

Several possibilities seem plausible.

A SuperSport streaming service

MultiChoice could launch a dedicated SuperSport streaming platform focused entirely on sports.

This could offer different subscription tiers centered around football and other major competitions.

Low-cost DStv streaming packages

Another possibility is the creation of “DStv Light” streaming packages designed for price-sensitive consumers.

These packages could combine selected sports events with curated entertainment channels.

Pay-per-view sports

Perhaps the most interesting scenario would be a pay-per-view model.

Imagine being able to pay small amounts to watch individual matches.

For example:

• Pay for a single EPL match
• Purchase a weekend football pass
• Subscribe only to Champions League fixtures

Payments could be made through mobile money platforms such as M-Pesa, which are already deeply embedded in African consumer behavior.

Data-bundled streaming

Another strategy could involve partnerships with telecom operators to bundle streaming subscriptions with mobile data packages.

This would significantly lower the barrier to entry for many viewers.

Kenya’s & Africa’s Youth Market Will Be Watching Closely

If Showmax disappears, the biggest impact may be felt among younger viewers across Africa.

Millennials and Gen Z audiences increasingly expect content to be:

• Mobile-first
• Affordable
• On-demand
• Easy to pay for

These audiences have little attachment to traditional television models.

If legitimate platforms cannot meet their expectations, they will quickly turn to alternatives.

The End of Showmax Might Not Be the End of the Idea

If Showmax ultimately disappears, it would certainly mark the end of one chapter in Africa’s streaming story.

But the idea behind Showmax — affordable streaming designed for African consumers — remains extremely relevant.

In fact, the demand for accessible mobile-first streaming across Africa is likely to grow significantly in the coming years.

The real challenge for MultiChoice and Canal+ will be finding a business model that balances affordability with sustainability.

This Really Can’t Be The End

Last night I watched Arsenal beat Brighton on Showmax.

This morning I received an email telling me that Showmax will soon be discontinued.

It is a strange moment.

Showmax was never perfect, and commercially it may not have delivered the results MultiChoice hoped for.

But it represented an important attempt to adapt African entertainment to the realities of the digital age.

Now the question is simple.

What comes next?

Because if MultiChoice cannot find a way to serve Africa’s rapidly growing streaming audience, someone else eventually will.