Connect with us

Brands/Products

Subscription Fee Issues Take Toll on Multichoice Results

Published

on

multichoice 2024 Step up

The latest performance report of Multichoice, where it posted losses for the second time may be an eye opener that the company at the centre of a storm in Nigeria over the controversial review of subscription fees is indeed under serious pressure caused by the crisis in the foreign exchange market and other operating challenges, writes Festus Akanbi.

For Multichoice, Africa’s leading entertainment company, this is certainly not a time to cheer. This is because its latest financial results have shown that contrary to popular belief, the company is not making enormous profits from its DStv satellite television service. The performance result which was in red confirmed that while the satellite television service contributes significantly to Multichoice’s revenue, the truth is that the company is not solely reliant on it.

 MultiChoice reported loss-making for the year ended 31 March 2024 after incurring a net loss of 4.1 billion rand ($225.8 million at current exchange rate). The company recorded a loss for the second year running, its audited accounts released on Wednesday showed.

According to the company, the substantial net foreign exchange translation losses resulted from losses on, “USD-denominated non-quasi equity loans between MultiChoice Africa Holdings B.V. and MultiChoice Nigeria Limited.”

This, it added, “follows the depreciation of the Naira against the Dollar from a closing rate of N464.50 in FY23 to N1 308.00 in FY24.”

According to the income statement, revenue dropped 5.9 per cent to 55 billion rands due to a slide in subscription fees.

“The combination of foreign exchange headwinds and a lower subscriber base resulted in a net decline in group revenues of five per cent to ZAR56.0 billion,” MultiChoice said.

Counting the Gains of Diversification

The report showed that general and administrative expenses jumped to 18.4 billion rands from 16.6 billion rands a year earlier after surges in employee costs and software license expenses, weakening operating profit.

The report showed however that Multichoice’s diversification strategy has led to significant growth in other segments, such as Showmax, SuperSportBet, and Moment. These new revenue streams have contributed to the company’s overall performance, offsetting some of the challenges faced by DStv.

According to the financial results, several of the company’s other products and services also performed well. Showmax, in particular, has shown impressive growth, with a successful relaunch across 44 markets in sub-Saharan Africa and a significant increase in active users.

Highlighting the company’s achievements in the face of adversity, Multichoice Group Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Calvo Mawela, said despite a tough year, the company delivered a trading profit margin of 26 per cent in South Africa and a 48 per cent increase in trading profit in Africa.

“We’ve just published our results for the past financial year, which ended in March 2024. The year has been like no other in terms of economic turmoil, but we showed resilience and navigated significant headwinds – managing our business with focus, dedication, and tenacity,” said Mawela.

Emphasis on Efficiency

He added that the company’s financial results were a testament to its ability to adapt and innovate in a rapidly changing market, noting that the emphasis on efficiency has positioned the company for future growth, despite the challenges faced by its satellite television service.

“KingMakers delivered strong growth in the online business in Nigeria by growing monthly active online users by 37 per cent and online gross gaming revenues by 26 per cent, year-on-year in constant currency. The business launched BetKing Casino and a virtual football sportsbook service, BetKing FootballGO, in Nigeria and SuperSportBet in South Africa”, the CEO stated.

He continued: “SuperSport continues to bring fans the best of sports from across the globe. In the past year, we broadcast over 34,000 action-packed sports events, more live sports than any other broadcaster in the world. Highlights of the year were the Rugby World Cup, Cricket World Cup, Netball World Cup, FIFA Women’s World Cup, and AFCON.

“Also, SuperSport Schools continues to grow strongly and more than doubled its registered user base during the year. Showcasing South Africa’s talent of the future, the platform displayed 49,000 hours of live programming across 43 different sports, covering 1,100 schools and 14,500 teams.”

Mawela emphasised the company’s commitment to creating authentic African stories. “We are the largest producer of original content on the African continent and remain committed to creating and growing authentic African stories. We produced over 6,500 hours of local content, to bring our local content library to 84,000 hours of content. More than half of our general entertainment budget is spent on local content.”

Commitment to Innovation

With a cost savings target of ZAR2 billion (108.9 million) set for the upcoming year, the company is poised to continue its trajectory of growth and innovation.

“We know that nobody else has the content we have for the customers we serve. This puts us in a great position to prosper – by better understanding our customers’ entertainment choices, identifying their needs, and tapping into the growth opportunities that arise along the way.

“In the year ahead, our focus will be to drive scale in Showmax, Moment, and SuperSportBet and to grow DStv Insurance, DStv Internet, and DStv Stream. We are purposefully pursuing our vision of becoming Africa’s entertainment platform of choice with determination and vigour. Significant progress has been made towards achieving this strategic objective. Our combined efforts will put our business in a strong position to prosper once the macro-economic environment stabilises,” the Multichoice boss assured

ThisDay

Brands/Products

Netflix to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery in $82.7bn Mega Deal

Published

on

netflix warner bros discovery

By Adedapo Adesanya

Netflix has reached a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery to buy the legendary TV and movie studio and assets like the HBO Max streaming service for $82.7 billion.

Warner Bros. Discovery is moving forward with its plans to split into two publicly traded halves in 2026. Once the split takes effect, Netflix intends to acquire the Warner Bros. half. The other half, Discovery Global, will house CNN and other cable channels. The Warner Bros. half includes its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO.

The transaction values Warner Bros. Discovery at $27.75 per share, implying a total equity value of approximately $72.0 billion and an enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billion.

The deal is subject to regulatory conditions, of which there will be several, due to the size of the companies involved and what it means for competitiveness.

For several weeks, Paramount was thought to be the frontrunner in the auction for Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount executives, who want to buy all of Warner Bros. Discovery – including its cable assets – were confident about their merger proposal and their mutually beneficial relationship with President Donald Trump.

However, Netflix surprised many with the boldness of its bids as it agreed to the same costly breakup fee that Paramount proposed, according to reports. This means the would-be buyer will pay Warner Bros. Discovery billions of dollars if the deal is not completed.

“Our mission has always been to entertain the world,” said Mr Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. “By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies—from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites like Harry Potter and Friends—with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we’ll be able to do that even better. Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”

Mr Greg Peters, the other co-CEO of Netflix, said the acquisition would “improve our offering and accelerate our business for decades to come,” adding: “Warner Bros. has helped define entertainment for more than a century and continues to do so with phenomenal creative executives and production capabilities. With our global reach and proven business model, we can introduce a broader audience to the worlds they create—giving our members more options, attracting more fans to our best-in-class streaming service, strengthening the entire entertainment industry and creating more value for shareholders.”

“Today’s announcement combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love to watch the most,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. “For more than a century, Warner Bros. has thrilled audiences, captured the world’s attention, and shaped our culture. By coming together with Netflix, we will ensure people everywhere will continue to enjoy the world’s most resonant stories for generations to come.”

The terms of the agreement will see each Warner Bros. Discovery shareholder receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in shares of Netflix common stock for Warner Bros. Discovery common stock share.

Continue Reading

Brands/Products

Video Gaming Firm Xsolla Offers Nigerians Paga Payment Option

Published

on

Xsolla Paga payment

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A global video game commerce company, Xsolla, has integrated Nigeria’s Paga into its payment system, allowing Nigerians more secure payment options.

Xsolla helps developers launch, grow, and monetize their games and with a large market available in Nigeria, with a population of over 230 million people, working with Paga is a good idea.

With services like Pay with Paga, Bank Transfers with Paga, and Cash by Paga, Xsolla provides a comprehensive payment solution that caters to diverse needs.

Serving more than 20 million users and processing massive volumes nationwide, Paga is one of Nigeria’s largest licensed mobile-money operators.

By integrating Paga’s full suite of payment options, players can enjoy seamless transactions, whether through quick in-app purchases, bank transfers, or cash deposits – with instant confirmations and reduced friction for all types of payments.

“Introducing Paga as a new payment method to players in Nigeria reflects our commitment to meeting players where they are,” said Chris Hewish, President at Xsolla.

“Paga’s strong local presence and trusted platform make it easier for Nigerian players to engage confidently, ensuring that convenience and security go hand in hand.”

From Nigeria to the world, Xsolla provides every payment method developers need to grow and monetize their games globally.

Local payment methods are crucial, enabling developers to reach every player, increase transaction conversions, and drive more sales and revenue. With Paga in Nigeria, it’s easier than ever to pay, play, and succeed.

Key benefits of the Paga integration include instant confirmations, localized experiences, and increased market reach and conversion.

Continue Reading

Brands/Products

Temu Partners Dellyman to Scale Logistics Capabilities Across Nigeria

Published

on

Dellyman Temu

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

As part of its strategies to aggressively scale its logistics capabilities across key African markets, especially in Nigeria, the fast-growing global e-commerce powerhouse, Temu, has entered into a delivery partnership with Lagos-based logistics startup, Dellyman.

Through this collaboration, Temu customers in Nigeria will experience faster, more predictable, and more transparent deliveries, a critical factor in sustaining the platform’s customer satisfaction as order volumes continue to rise.

Dellyman’s technology-driven approach, spanning rider management, route optimisation, and customer visibility, played a central role in Temu’s selection process.

In the pilot phase, Dellyman completed more than 1,300 deliveries with a 95 per cent success rate, demonstrating its readiness to support large-scale e-commerce operations nationwide.

Founded in 2020, the firm has grown into one of Nigeria’s most reliable same-day and last-mile delivery platforms.

The company recently achieved a 10,000-order monthly delivery milestone in November 2025, contributing to a cumulative total of more than 300,000 lifetime deliveries.

This track record made Dellyman a strong fit for Temu, which is aggressively scaling logistics capabilities across key African markets.

“Our partnership with Temu is a major endorsement of the vision we set out with, to build Nigeria’s most reliable, scalable, and transparent last-mile delivery infrastructure.

“Achieving a 95 per cent delivery success rate during the pilot underscores our readiness to support high-volume e-commerce platforms.

“This collaboration shows that local startups can meet and exceed global standards when given the opportunity,” the chief executive of Dellyman, Mr Dare Ojo-Bello, said.

He further noted that the partnership represents more than operational growth as it signals a shift in how global e-commerce brands view Nigerian logistics capabilities.

“This is not just about fulfilling orders; it is about reshaping perceptions of what Nigerian delivery companies can achieve. We are committed to building the kind of infrastructure that supports international standards, empowers local businesses, and ultimately strengthens consumer trust in the broader digital economy,” he noted.

Mr Ojo-Bello added that Dellyman will continue investing in capacity, fleet expansion, and merchant-facing tools to ensure superior delivery experiences for Temu buyers and other online shoppers nationwide.

Continue Reading

Trending