Streaming Slump: MultiChoice Sees Staggering 57,000 Subscriber Exodus in Kenya
MultiChoice Group recorded a significant loss of over 57,000 subscribers in Kenya during the first quarter of 2026, impacting both DStv and GOtv services. This decline is attributed to rising piracy, shifting consumer habits towards streaming and social media, increased competition, and repeated price hikes. In response, the Canal+-owned company is implementing a strategic overhaul, including the closure of Showmax and investments in sales and marketing efforts.
MultiChoice Group experienced a substantial decline in its subscriber base in Kenya, losing over 57,000 customers during the first three months of 2026. This development adds significant pressure on the Canal+-owned Pay-TV company, particularly impacting its DStv and GOtv products.
According to industry data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) for the January to March 2026 quarter, MultiChoice's DStv subscriber base decreased from 270,503 in the preceding quarter to 248,053, marking an 8.3% fall. Similarly, GOtv subscribers dropped by 8%, from 440,375 to 405,013, during the same period. Cumulatively, MultiChoice lost 57,812 subscribers across both Pay-TV services, reducing its total customer base in Kenya to 653,066 by the end of the quarter.
This latest dip is a continuation of a negative trend that began in 2024. By mid-2025, the company's subscription numbers had already dramatically decreased to 1.19 million compared to the previous year. DStv, in particular, has seen a severe decline, losing more than 80% of its active subscribers in Kenya over 16 months.
Several factors contribute to MultiChoice's struggles. A significant portion of its issues is attributed to the widespread rise of piracy and illegal streaming platforms. Furthermore, there's a notable shift in consumer habits, with subscribers increasingly gravitating towards social media content like TikTok and Instagram reels, and preferring established streaming platforms such as Netflix and YouTube. Intense competition also plays a critical role, as other Pay-TV providers in Kenya, including Startimes and Azam, reported positive growth in the same quarter, each adding over 2,000 new customers, potentially from MultiChoice's outgoing subscriber pool.
Some of MultiChoice's challenges are also self-inflicted, primarily stemming from persistent price hikes. The company has implemented two rounds of price increases in Kenya very recently, having raised its DStv subscription fees five times over the past three years. For instance, on November 1st, 2024, the DStv Premium package increased from Sh10,500 to Sh11,000, and Compact Plus from Sh6,500 to Sh6,800. Prices were revised upwards again on August 1st, 2025, with Premium climbing to Sh11,700 and Compact Plus to Sh7,300.
Despite battling economic hardship, evolving consumer preferences, and severe competition, MultiChoice, under its French owner, is actively working on a rebuilding strategy. As part of a broader corporate restructuring and cost-cutting initiative, MultiChoice discontinued its streaming service, Showmax, following reported financial losses exceeding $500 million. The company is also planning to hire 1,000 field sales staff across its African markets and expand its installer and point-of-sale networks, investing in revenue-generating frontline roles. Additionally, MultiChoice intends to increase its marketing and branding investments across the continent in an effort to recover lost subscribers and regain market share.