MultiChoice officially completes sale to French giant Canal+ in a $3 billion takeover

MultiChoice Group, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, has been completely integrated into French media powerhouse Canal+.

• MultiChoice Group, the parent of DStv and GOtv, has been fully integrated into French media giant Canal+ after a multi-year acquisition process.
• The deal concludes with MultiChoice becoming a wholly owned subsidiary, positioning it for long-term growth as part of a global network operating in 70 countries.
• Canal+ acquired MultiChoice through a formal buyout, offering R125 per share for public investors, valuing the company at $3 billion (R55 billion).

The transaction, highlighted in news reports on July 10, 2026, marks the definitive conclusion of a multi-year acquisition process, transitioning one of Africa’s largest entertainment providers into a fully owned subsidiary of a global media network.

DON'T MISS THIS: MultiChoice freezes DStv prices as Canal+ pumps $106m into turnaround plan

Confirming the finalization of the integration, David Mignot, the Chief Executive Officer of Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice, stated that the milestone positions the South African broadcaster for fresh long-term development.

As highlighted in a report by The Punch, Mignot noted that “MultiChoice is now a full subsidiary of a truly international media group operating in 70 countries.

The group was founded in France, is listed in London and Johannesburg, and has a strong African presence with operations in more than 45 countries.”

The path to this corporate restructuring began when Canal+ steadily accelerated its open-market share purchases of the Johannesburg-listed broadcaster.

After crossing the mandatory regulatory threshold, the French corporation launched a formal buyout offer to absorb the remainder of MultiChoice’s public shares.

While Canal+ secured definitive operational command over the course of the previous year, the final regulatory clearances and equity transitions were only recently completed, setting up the definitive conclusion announced this week.

How the Deal Reached $3 Billion (R55 Billion)

The total value of MultiChoice was set at $3 billion USD, which is about R55 billion Rand.

This price comes down to simple math based on a deal to buy out the company’s stock. Canal+ offered to pay R125 for every single share owned by public investors and pension funds on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, which was much higher than the stock's normal trading price.

MultiChoice has about 442.5 million total shares, when you multiply those shares by the R125 buyout price, it values the whole company at R55.3 billion Rand, or exactly $3 billion USD.

Since Canal+ had already bought up about 45% of the company's shares over the last few years, they did not have to pay the full $3 billion at the final finish line.

Instead, they spent about R35 billion ($1.9 billion USD) to buy out the remaining shareholders and take complete control of the business.

How This Acquisition Will Benefit MultiChoice

This takeover comes at a tough time for African pay-TV companies. Many families are cutting back on spending due to rising living costs, while major global streaming apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime are growing fast on the continent.

By joining Canal+, MultiChoice goes from a regional company to part of a massive global network. This international size gives the combined company much better bargaining power when buying movie and sports rights, or purchasing satellite equipment.

At the same time, Canal+ will provide MultiChoice with strong financial backing to survive economic downturns without having to cut its services.

The new owners plan to invest more money and adopt better technology in MultiChoice’s own streaming app, Showmax, to help it compete. Most importantly, Canal+ has promised to invest heavily in making local African movies, TV shows, and sports.

This means MultiChoice can create far more original content in local languages, which is its biggest advantage in keeping African viewers happy.

Victor Awogbemila