According to Digital TV Research, the number of pay TV subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa will increase by 74% between 2017 and 2023 to reach 40.89 million. However, the report estimates that subscriber growth will outstrip revenue progress. Pay TV revenues will climb by 41% to $6.64 billion by 2023, up by $2 billion year-on-year.
Pay TV Subs by Country in 2023 – Image:Meko
Simon Murray, Principal Analyst at Digital TV Research, explained:
“Pay TV competition in Sub-Saharan Africa is becoming more and more intense, especially given the launch of Kwese TV in 14 countries during 2017. Pay TV operators in most countries have lowered subscription fees and subsidised equipment as competition intensifies. By no means are all of the existing pay TV platforms expected to survive in the long run. Having said that, several pay TV operators are booming”.
Kenya will continue to show considerable digital TV growth, but it is overcrowded. Kenya now boasts two pay DTT platforms, a cable network and five main satellite TV operators—too many for a country with only 4.01 million TV households.
From the 23.49 million pay TV subscribers at the end of 2017, 13.78 million were satellite TV and 9.11 million DTT. By 2023, satellite TV will contribute 20.89 million and DTT 17.53 million. This means an extra 7 million pay satellite TV subscribers and 8 million pay DTT homes.
Nigeria will have the most pay TV subscribers by 2023, having overtaken South Africa in 2021. The top eight countries will supply three-quarters of the total in 2023.
Multichoice had 12.48 million subs across its satellite TV platform, DStv, and its DTT platform, GOtv, by the end of 2017, which will grow to 16.66 million by 2023.
France’s Vivendi had 2.96 million subs to Canal Plus and Easy TV by the end of 2017, forecast to climb to 4.87 million by 2023.
StarTimes/StarSat will enjoy the most impressive growth, from 6.23 million subs at the end of 2017 to 13.42 million by 2023.
