March 05, (THEWILL) — French media company Canal+ plans to shut down African streaming platform Showmax after the service recorded heavy losses, following the company’s takeover of MultiChoice.
The companies confirmed that the service will be discontinued after reviewing their streaming business.
However, they have not announced an exact date for the shutdown.
Showmax was launched by MultiChoice in 2015 as a streaming platform for African audiences, competing with services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Disney+.
In 2024, the platform was relaunched in partnership with NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. The relaunch included a new app, more content and improved technology.
Despite these efforts, the platform struggled to grow its subscriber base.
MultiChoice and NBCUniversal reportedly invested about $309 million in the service to improve its content and technology.
According to Canal+, Showmax was “not a commercial success.”
The company said the platform recorded heavy losses, reaching about R4.9 billion (around $260 million) in the 2025 financial year, making it difficult to sustain.
Showmax’s financial performance had already raised concerns before the takeover, with MultiChoice reporting that the platform’s trading losses increased significantly while revenue declined.
Canal+ completed its acquisition of MultiChoice in 2025 and has since launched a restructuring plan aimed at saving around €400 million by 2030.
The company said shutting down Showmax will not lead to job losses.
The takeover agreement prevents staff layoffs for three years, and employees will be supported with opportunities to move into other roles within the company.
Meanwhile, MultiChoice has already begun moving some Showmax Originals to its television channels, including Africa Magic and M-Net.
Canal+ said it will continue investing in premium content, sports broadcasting and technology to strengthen its position in Africa’s entertainment market.
Evi Ben Ezaga writes on entertainment, culture, and trending stories.
