Brands/Products
Subscription Fee Issues Take Toll on Multichoice Results
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
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To make finding the right service provider or reaching the right customer seamless, popular local information portal, Connect Nigeria, has introduced a Quote Request platform.
Connect Nigeria described the new system as “a digital solution designed to make connecting with service providers faster, easier, and more reliable.”
It said the Quote Request was built for consumers who need services quickly and want trusted options without the stress of searching endlessly; and service providers and businesses looking for real, high-intent customers without spending heavily on marketing.
“Whether you need a caterer for an event, a plumber for your home, or a designer for your brand, the platform is designed to connect you with the right people,” Connect Nigeria added.
“By connecting demand directly with supply, the platform creates a more structured and dependable marketplace,” it further stated.
At its core, the Quote Request simplifies the entire process of finding and offering services.
To use the service, users have to submit a request describing the service or product needed, which is then sent to verified vendors on the platform. Interested providers respond within 1–2 days, and users compare offers and choose what works best for their needs and budget.
“Instead of searching for vendors, the vendors come to you, with relevant, tailored responses,” Connect Nigeria explained.
The company expects this new platform to eliminate the stress of endless online searches, delayed or vague responses, and uncertainty about service quality.
As for businesses, it solves poor visibility, inconsistent customer flow, and lost opportunities due to slow response times.
Connect Nigeria Quote Request mobile app is now available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An institutional investor, First Ally Capital, has strengthened a leading Nigerian financial technology company, Mathesis Analytics, to scale its proprietary credit decisioning infrastructure.
It made this possible by injecting fresh capital into the firm, which specialises in AI-powered credit decisioning infrastructure, an action that will directly support the growth and scaling of Mathesis’ core mission of providing the intelligence and infrastructure needed to bridge the credit gap for millions of unscored or underscored individuals across Nigeria.
With this investment, Mathesis will enable financial institutions to confidently assess and extend credit to borrowers who lack a formal credit history by leveraging an expanded pool of alternative behavioural and transactional data.
To date, Mathesis’ systems have supported more than 8 million loans for over 2 million unique borrowers in Nigeria, and the company is actively deploying its infrastructure to establish a growing pan-African footprint.
With the investment from First Ally Capital, Mathesis is well positioned to transform how the credit ecosystem operates, driving financial inclusion in partnership with lenders across the continent.
A significant barrier to credit access in Nigeria, which prides itself on being Africa’s largest economy, is data fragmentation. Borrowers frequently build positive financial behaviours across multiple digital platforms by repaying microfinance loans, saving through fintech wallets, or servicing Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) facilities.
However, under traditional credit infrastructure, these achievements remain invisible to new lenders.
Mathesis addresses this challenge through the concept of Personal Equity—the quantified expression of an individual’s financial behaviour aggregated across every institution with which they have transacted.
By translating these disparate signals into a precise, portable measure of creditworthiness, Mathesis creates a comprehensive credit identity that reflects the full breadth of a person’s financial life.
“True financial inclusion cannot be achieved in a vacuum; it requires structural collaboration in which lenders and fintech companies work as partners within the ecosystem.
“This investment from First Ally Capital validates our approach to reshaping credit infrastructure. By quantifying Personal Equity, we empower lenders to safely look beyond the constraints of formal credit histories and recognise a borrower’s true creditworthiness. This capital enables us to accelerate our pan-African expansion while maintaining the robust, institutional-grade infrastructure our partners rely on,” the chief executive of Mathesis Analytics, Winston Osuchukwu, stated.
On his part, the chief executive of First Ally Capital, Mr Ebenezer Olufowose, said, “At First Ally Capital, we pride ourselves on being a one-stop destination for financial solutions, offering a diverse portfolio of services ranging from investment banking and asset management to trusteeship, inclusive banking, and real estate.
“Our investment in Mathesis Analytics reflects our strong belief in the company’s vision and our commitment to supporting forward-thinking enterprises that deliver excellence.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The chief executive of Canal+ Africa, Mr David Mignot, has disclosed that MultiChoice is now fully integrated into the media group.
Mr Mignot disclosed this via a statement issued on Thursday, noting that this development marks a new phase in the evolution of one of Africa’s leading pay television operators.
He noted that the integration positions MultiChoice within a global media organisation with an extensive international footprint.
“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,” Mr Mignot said.
The statement underscores the scale of the combined business, highlighting Canal+’s global reach alongside its significant investments across Africa.
The completion of the transaction is expected to strengthen MultiChoice’s position in the African media and entertainment market by giving it access to the broader resources, expertise and international capabilities of the Canal+ Group, while reinforcing the group’s commitment to the continent.
MultiChoice operates across sub-Saharan Africa through platforms including DStv and GOtv, serving millions of subscribers with entertainment, sports and news content.
