MultiChoice Kenya hikes prices for DStv Kenya subscribers again by up to 7%

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Kenya is hiking prices yet again in the East African country for business customers as well as for for business customers in the ican country with the latest price increase which will hit companies subscribing to its service from August 2025.

MultiChoice Kenya is hiking DStv fees by up to 7%.

In November 2024 MultiChoice Kenya hiked prices in the country by up to 5.4%  - the 4th price hike in two years.

From August 2025, DStv Access will increase from KES1,350 to KES1,450, DStv Family is increasing from KES2,100 to KES2,250, while DStv Compact is increasing from KES3,900 to KES4,200.

MultiChoice is increasing DStv Compact Plus from KES6,800 to KES7,300 while DStv Premium is getting more expensive from KES11,000 to KES11,700.

The DStv Lite plan remains unchanged at KES750.

The GOtv Value package is decreased from KES699 to KES599, while the Plus plan remains unchanged.

GOtv Max will be increased from KES1,599 to KES1,699 and GOtv Supa is increased from KES2,099 to KES2,199. MultiChoice is increasing the GOtv Supa Plus plan from KES3,000 to KES3,199. 

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Kenya hikes DStv prices from August 2025 for businesses

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Kenya hikes DStv fees from November 2024 by over 5% with 4th increase in two years as subscribers say they're done and cancelling

MultiChoice Kenya hikes DStv prices from August 2025 for businesses

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Kenya is hiking prices yet again for business customers in the East African country with the latest price increase which will hit companies subscribing to its service from August 2025.

Nzola Miranda, MultiChoice Kenya managing director, informing business subscribers in a letter about the price hike from August, says MultiChoice Kenya will be "making adjustments to its prices" but offers no explanations or reasons for the latest increase.

The DStv Stay package is increasing to Sh3370, DStv Essential is increasing to Sh2510, and DStv Basic is increasing to Sh1580. 

On DStv Play the Basic package is increasing to Sh5700, Essential is increasing to Sh9950, and Ultra will cost Sh15650.

On the DStv Work package, the Essential option will now cost Sh2050, while Ultra will increase to Sh5850. 

To add a foreign language channel will now cost Sh500, while the CNN International (DStv 401) add-on as a TV channel often seen in hotels, will cost Sh465 from August. 

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Kenya hikes DStv fees from November 2024 by over 5% with 4th increase in two years as subscribers say they're done and cancelling

MultiChoice Zimbabwe increasing DStv fees from June 2025

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Zimbabwe is increasing monthly DStv subscription fees from 1 June 2025, although the price of DStv Premium will remain unchanged at $75.

From June DStv Compact Plus is increasing from $45 to $46, DStv Compact is increasing from $30 to $32, and DStv Family is getting an increase from $20 to $21.

The DStv Access package is increased from $15 to $16.

The monthly fees for DStv Lite at $9, the Indian add-on package for DStv Premium at $39, the Indian add-on package for $25, the Portuguese add-on package at $45, and the HD PVR service fee of $13 all remain unchanged. 

Netflix South Africa increases prices by up to 20% for subscribers

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix South Africa is increasing prices of the streaming service for its South African subscribers with immediate effect by up to 20%, although its R99 per month subscription plan will remain unchanged.

Netflix issued no press statement before the price hike went into effect but in response to a media query from TVwithThinus, confirms that it is increasing subscription prices in South Africa.

Rival MultiChoice just did its annual price increase for DStv subscribers and its Showmax video streaming service from April 2025.

Netflix South Africa in response to the media query, confirms that "Netflix has increased prices in South Africa for both new and existing subscribers".

This is the second price increase for Netflix SA subscribers since the video streaming launched in South Africa and across the African continent in 2016. 

Netflix SA last increased prices in September 2021 which was its first price increase in South Africa since it launched.

Netflix says that "The new prices came into effect on 8 May for new members. For existing members, the exact timing of the change will depend on the specific member's billing cycle".

Asked why Netflix is increasing prices for its South African subscribers, the company told me that "As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will sometimes ask our members to pay more so that we can reinvest to further improve Netflix".

The price changes are as follows for South Africa:

 

Mobile	Basic	Standard	Premium
R49 → R59	R99 (no change)	R159 → R179	R199 → R229

 

Interesting to note is that Netflix is keeping the subscription fee of its Basic package unchanged at R99 per month.

Netflix is increasing its Mobile subscription by a whopping 20% from R49 to R59 per month, while the Standard fee is increased by 13% from R159 to R179 per month. The Premium subscription price is increased 15% from R199 to R229 per month.

All of Netflix SA's price hikes are far above the current South African inflation rate.

MultiChoice won't increase DStv fees further from May 2025 after government's VAT hike is scrapped

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice will no longer increase DStv subscription fees from 1 May with an additional 0.5% after the South African government backtracked on the decision to hike value-added tax (VAT) from May 2025 from 15% to 15.5%

MultiChoice increased subscription fees for DStv subscribers in South Africa from April, and then warned customers - similar to other companies - that prices will increase again from May when the government's planned VAT price hike came into effect.

Following a decision to no longer increase South Africa's VAT on goods and services, MultiChoice, similar to other companies, will no longer increase prices from May.

MultiChoice tells TVwithThinus in response to a media query that DStv fees won't increase again from May.

"We previously communicated the anticipated adjustment to DStv subscription prices effective 1 May 2025, due to the mandated increase in the VAT rate from 15% to 15.5%."

"Upon confirmation of the proposed VAT increase being reversed, DStv will no longer be implementing an additional price increase from May 2025."

From April, MultiChoice increased DStv Premium by R50 from R929 to R979 (5.3%), DStv Compact Plus by R40 from R619 to R659 (6.4%), and DStv Premium Compact by R10 from R469 to R479 (2.1%).

Meanwhile DStv Family went up 3.03% and R10 from R329 to R339, DStv Access increased R11 (7.9%) from R139 to R150, while DStv EasyView went up by R1 (3.44%) from R29 to R30.

The DStv Access fee of R120 increased by R5 (4.1%) to R125. The basic Showmax monthly subscription fee remains at R99, although its Premier League and mobile packages both got increases.

Nigeria's consumer protection agency summons MultiChoice Nigeria CEO to explain looming 22% DStv price hike at urgent 'investigative hearing'

by Thinus Ferreira

Nigeria's consumer protection agency is again summoning MultiChoice Nigeria to appear before it to explain why it wants to hike DStv and GOtv monthly subscriber fees in the West African country by up to over 22% from March 2025.

MultiChoice Nigeria just announced that it's doing another shocking price hike in Nigeria from next week - the second in less than a year in the country since it last announced a price increase in May 2024.

Nigeria claims to have a free market economy where private and commercial companies are free to set and charge whatever fees they want for their commercial services and products, and with consumers who are free to either buy or not buy these.

Companies like MultiChoice have been forced to hike prices as Nigeria's deteriorating economy continues to weaken with massive inflation and the ongoing weakening and devaluation of the local Naira currency.

This has forced MultiChoice to keep increasing subscription fees in Nigeria, which MultiChoice Africa has also done in several other African countries, and in several with more than one price increase per year over the past few years.

Now Nigeria's Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) - which has frequently clashed with MultiChoice in the past - has summoned MultiChoice Nigeria's CEO John Ugbe to an urgent hearing on Friday 27 February to "explain" the latest announced DStv price hike at what it calls an "investigative hearing".

In a statement, the FCCPC says the "investigative hearing" follows "MultiChoice's formal notification of the price adjustment, which raises concerns about recurrent unilateral price hikes, potential market dominance abuse, and perceived anti-competitive practices in the pay-TV industry".

"The FCCPC is deeply concerned that Nigerian consumers continue to face frequent price increases amid accusations that MultiChoice applies different pricing strategies in other markets, heightening questions about fairness and market abuse."

The agency notes that "should MultiChoice fail to provide satisfactory explanations or be found in violation of fair market principles, it would impose regulatory penalties, sanctions, or other corrective measures to protect Nigerian consumers".

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Nigeria hikes DStv subscription fees for the second time in a year by over 22% from March 2025

MultiChoice Nigeria hikes DStv subscription fees for the second time in a year by over 22% from March 2025

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Nigeria is once again hiking both monthly DStv and GOtv subscription fees for the second time in a year, with a shocking increase of up to over 22%, in the West African country from March 2025.

Nigeria is MultiChoice's second largest market on the African continent after South Africa.

MultiChoice Nigeria's last DStv price hike was in May 2024.

"Please note that effective 1 March 2025, there will be a price adjustment on all DStv packages. This is to enable us to continue to offer our customers world-class homegrown and international content, delivered through the best technology," MultiChoice Nigeria said in a message sent to customers.

In a press statement MultiChoice Nigeria said "Due to prevalent economic factors leading to increased operational costs, we have unavoidably had to adjust the prices of our DStv and GOtv subscription packages".

"We understand the impact this change may have on our valued partners, and we have only taken this step after careful consideration and in-depth analysis."

From March 2025 DStv Premium is increasing 20.2% from N37,000 to N44,500, with DStv Compact Plus increasing 20% from N25,000 to N30,000, and DStv Compact increasing 21% from N15,700 to N19,000.

DStv Confam will increase a whopping 22.2% from N9,000 to  N11,000, DStv Yanga is increased 17.6% from N5,100 to N6,000, while DStv Padi is increased 22.2% from N3,600 to N4,400.

MultiChoice Nigeria is increasing GOtv by 8.3% from N3,600 to N3,900 and GOtv Plus by 19.5% from N4,850 to N5,800. 

GoTV Max is increased 18% from N7,200 to N8,500 while GOtv Supa is increased 18.7% from N9,600 to N11,400 and GOtv Supa Plus is increasing 7% from N15,700 to N16,800 monthly from March.

GOtv Jolli is increased from N4,850 to N5,800, GOtv Jinja is hiked from N3,300 to N3,900, while GOtv Smallie is increased from N1,575 to N1,900.

Across Africa, MultiChoice is battling slowing subscriber acquisition and subscribers abandoning its pricey pay-TV offering, while the company is the target of an aggressive corporate buyout from France's Canal+.

MultiChoice Africa is having an especially difficult time in African countries outside of South Africa where worsening economic conditions have dampened consumer spending, combined with runaway inflation in several markets like Nigeria, coupled with constantly weakening local currencies like the Naira.

MultiChoice's relaunched Showmax does first price increase from August, pricing of bundled packages remains unchanged.

by Thinus Ferreira

After six months the relaunched Showmax is doing its first price increase since the unveiling of the new version of MultiChoice's video streaming service - although the prices of its two bundled packages will remain unchanged.

From August, Showmax Entertainment will increase 11.2% from R89 to R99, while Showmax Entertainment Mobile is going from R39 to R45 - an increase of 15.4%. Both these increases are above the current inflation rate.

The pricing of the Showmax Premier League package will remain unchanged at R69 a month. 

The pricing of the bundled Showmax Entertainment (all devices) + Premier League (mobile) package remains unchanged at R140 and the pricing of the Showmax Entertainment (mobile) + Premier League (mobile) package also remains unchanged at R99. 

Showmax says its Showmax Entertainment Mobile price of R45 is "at the low end of mobile streaming prices globally". It's the first price hike for Showmax since MultiChoice retooled the streamer in partnership with Comcast's NBCUniversal.

Marc Jury, Showmax CEO, says "Pricing is something that all businesses have to review regularly, and we launched with attractive pricing on the new Showmax platform".

"We are thrilled that we've been able to keep Showmax Premier League and bundled Showmax plans unchanged, bringing all 380 Premier League matches to millions of football fans in Africa and continuing to focus on making streaming affordable and effortless."

He says "No other streamer has this range of the best international and local content at an incredible price."

Since its relaunch in February, MultiChoice added 40 Showmax Originals to the streamer, including localised shows produced in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.   

Showmax Entertainment's R99 price from August is its original launch price in 2015.

MultiChoice that is coming off a disastrous financial year for the year ending end of March 2024, is under immense pressure to grow its Showmax subscriber numbers and to also move the streamer towards a position of profitability. MultiChoice told investors last year that it aims to achieve profitability for Showmax in 2027.

Last month when it released its financial results, MultiChoice noted that Showmax's paying subscriber base grew 16% since the relaunch in February to the end of March but continues to decline to provide any subscriber numbers.

 

		Showmax Entertainment  All devices	Showmax Entertainment Mobile	Showmax Premier League    Mobile	Showmax Entertainment Mobile + Premier League Mobile bundle	Showmax Entertainment All devices + Premier League Mobile bundle
All Premier League    live matches + extra Premier League content		-	-	✓	✓	✓
Series, movies, kids’ shows, documentaries incl. Showmax Originals, MultiChoice Originals, Universal Pictures, NBC, Peacock, Sky, DreamWorks Animation, HBO, Paramount, Lionsgate, Sony, Warner Bros. Discovery, BBC, ITV, Telemundo, Banijay, eOne, Fremantle and more.		✓	✓	-	✓	✓
Number of concurrent streams		2	1	1	1 stream Entertainment  1 stream Premier League	2 streams Entertainment  1 stream Premier League
Mobile apps		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Smart TV, laptop, Android TV, Apple TV apps		✓	-	-	-	✓  (only for Entertainment content, no access to Sport section)
Maximum video resolution		HD (1080p)	HD (1080p)	HD (1080p)	HD (1080p)	HD (1080p)
Downloads available for offline viewing		✓	✓	✓ (only for VOD content, not live streaming)	✓ (only for VOD content, not live streaming)	✓ (only for VOD content, not live streaming)
Data saving settings		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

MultiChoice's DStv price increase for 2024: Two packages increasing with above-inflation rates.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice will increase DStv prices again from 1 April with two packages seeing an above-inflation increase.

DStv Premium is increasing from April 2024 by 5.7% from R879 to R929, with a 6.9% increase for DStv Compact Plus increasing from R579 to R619.

DStv Compact is increasing 4.5% from R449 to R469, DStv Family is increasing 3.1% from R319 to R329, while DStv Access is increasing 7.8% from R129 to R139. DStv EasyView is remaining the same at R29.

MultiChoice is increasing the DStv Access fee by 4.3% from R115 to R120 monthly, with no increases for the ADD Movies package at R79 monthly and DStv BoxOffice rentals also remaining unchanged at R40 per popcorn couch-watching pop.

All streaming-only services will maintain their current subscription fees. 

DStv Compact Plus and DStv Access are the two packages getting price hikes bigger than South Africa's inflation rate of 6%. DStv Access is however getting a sport-injection in the form of access to content from ESPN, La Liga, SuperSport Variety 4 and the SuperSport Blitz channels.

To promote its relaunched Showmax video streaming service, MultiChoice will soon rebrand and reprogramme one of the M-Net packaged linear TV channels on DStv to carry a curated offering of the content on offer on Showmax to aid sampling. 

This will include locally produced series made for the Showmax platform that DStv subscribers will be able to watch on the linear channel.

MultiChoice is also introducing what the Randburg pay-TV operator calls a "Price guarantee" agreement, whereby DStv subscribers can ensure that their subscription fee remains fixed for the period of their contract, as well as its subscription price adjustments for 2024.

"We're excited about DStv Price Guarantee which secures a price lower than today for our customers who sign up for our 24-month deal to beat the increase," says Marc Jury, MultiChoice SA CEO.

"Our priority is to ensure that we continue to provide unparalleled entertainment, which includes local South African stories and the world’s best sports. Subscribers can look forward to an array of exciting content such as Big Brother Mzansi as well as major sporting events like the SA20 Cricket and the Olympic games."

"We believe these adjustments are reasonable considering the significant 16% year-on-year depreciation of the Rand against the US Dollar, and our commitment to securing long-term broadcast sports rights and international studio deals, which are priced in US Dollars," he says.

"As Africa's premier entertainment provider, we are committed to delivering exceptional value to our customers. We have an excellent line-up of local and international shows and sports. Our customers can also look forward to continued savings on our DStv Internet bundles, DStv Insurance, and Namola."

PRICE HIKE. MultiChoice Ghana hiked fees by 19% in 2023, blames country's deteriorating economy as well as currency devaluation and fuel costs.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice Ghana has hiked subscription fees by a whopping 19% in February 2023, less than a year after last raising prices from April 2022, blaming Ghana's deteriorating economy marked by a dramatic currency devaluation and massive spike in fuel prices.

MultiChoice Ghana managing director Alex Okyere, said the pay-TV operator's price hike in the West African country, which it said was an "average 19% increase" from February 2023, "is significantly below what is required to cover the increase in our cost of operations with inflation currently at 54.1%".

MultiChoice has hiked prices in 2023 in countries like South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and from May also in Nigeria.

In addition to blaming Ghana's deteriorating economy for the forced price hike of an average of 19%, MultiChoice Ghana blames the country's deteriorating currency, and fuel prices as well.

"A significant portion of our content and satellite costs are sourced internationally and paid for in foreign currencies. In April 2022 when we last adjusted prices, the Ghana/US dollar rate was 7.54, versus the current rate of 12.39."

"Since our last increase, fuel prices have increased by 58.8% and electricity tariffs have increased by 65.24%. Our digital terrestrial television (DTT) service runs from 14 cell sites that significantly use electricity and fuel to power the various equipment needed to broadcast our content," MultiChoice Ghana said.  

ALSO READ: PRICE HIKE. MultiChoice Nigeria hikes DStv prices again from May 2023 by up to 22.2% with cheapest GOtv bouquet seeing biggest price hike.

ALSO READ: SHOCKER. MultiChoice Kenya does second DStv price hike of up to 10% from April 2023 just 7 months after last fee increase, angry subscribers say they're cancelling and going to streaming.

ALSO READ: Six months after its last increase MultiChoice Uganda does another DStv price hike from April 2023 up to 10.25% as outraged subscribers slam pay-TV operator for 'garbage' content that's 'repeated and super old' .

ALSO READ: MultiChoice: Here is the pay-TV company's DStv pricing from April 2023 for South Africa.

Netflix South Africa hikes prices with an increase for Netflix SA's Standard and Premium plans far above inflation.

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix is doing its first-ever price hike for South Africa with its Netflix Standard plan increasing by R20 or far above inflation with a 14%-increase to R159 per month, while its Netflix Premium plan is increased even more more with a hike of R30 to R199 that is a 18%-increase.

Netflix SA is keeping the prices of its Netflix Mobile plan that it introduced in June this year capped at R49 per month, as well as its Netflix Basic plan at R99 per month that is also remaining unchanged for now.

The Netflix SA price hike will be implemented for existing subscribers of the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service over the next few weeks, while new Netflix SA subscribers will pay the increased price immediately.

The Netflix South Africa price hike is the first since Netflix launched in South Africa and across Africa in January 2016.

A Netflix Basic plan initially cost $7.99 (R126) in South Africa, with pricing of $9.99 (R158) for a Netflix Standard and $11.99 (R190) for a Netflix Premium plan. Netflix switched to using the South African rand for Netflix SA as payment currency in August 2018 which saw a slight decrease for the Netflix Basic and Netflix Standard plans at the time.

In response to a media query about the price increase a Netflix South Africa spokesperson confirmed to TVwithThinus that the Netflix Standard and Netflix Premium plans are increasing from Tuesday 19 October.

"This will be our first price change in South Africa since our launch in 2016 that is not related to currency change".

The spokesperson says that the increase is done "to reflect improvements to our catalogue of movies and shows and the quality of our service - and, most importantly, so that we can continue giving our members in South Africa more options and continuously increasing value".

Netflix SA says that subscribers will ne notified through email and will also receive a notification within the app 30 days ahead of their price increase. "Timing will be based on the specific member's billing cycle and will be rolled out over the course of the next few months".

Netflix's R49 mobile-only plan in South Africa and $3.99 for sub-Saharan Africa, competes against MultiChoice's Showmax streaming service that has a R39 per month mobile-only plan for South Africa that costs $2.99 in the rest of Africa.