Canal+ is set to discontinue the popular African streaming service Showmax after acquiring MultiChoice, according to an exclusive report by Variety.

The shutdown is part of Canal+’s strategic cost-cutting and investment optimization in the highly competitive global streaming market.

Showmax, launched across Africa by MultiChoice in August 2015, was designed to compete with major platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Apple TV+.

The platform was relaunched in February 2024 in partnership with NBCUniversal, leveraging the Peacock streaming technology.

Despite substantial investment of approximately $309 million in content and platform development, Showmax failed to meet subscriber growth expectations.

The platform’s financial struggles worsened with an 88% increase in trading losses and declining revenue in MultiChoice’s last annual financial report prior to the Canal+ takeover.

Since acquiring MultiChoice in September 2025, Canal+ has implemented aggressive measures aimed at saving €400 million by 2030.

MultiChoice confirmed that the closure will not lead to job losses, as the takeover agreement with Canal+ guarantees no staff retrenchments for three years.

Existing employees will be supported through various transition options.

Additionally, several Showmax Originals are being repurposed for MultiChoice’s television channels, including Africa Magic, M-Net, Mzansi Magic, and kykNET.

Showmax experimented with subscription models tailored for African audiences, such as mobile-only plans and live English Premier League streaming packages.

However, these efforts were insufficient to achieve commercial success. Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada stated earlier this year that Showmax’s future would be determined following a review of performance metrics.

Despite the shutdown, Canal+ remains committed to investing in premium content and technological innovation for MultiChoice subscribers, reinforcing its position in the African entertainment landscape.