MultiChoice Nigeria is positioning itself for its next phase of growth following its integration into CANAL+, the France-based global media and entertainment group operating across 70 countries.
Speaking against the backdrop of the integration, MultiChoice Nigeria Chief Executive Officer Kemi Omotosho said the company has evolved over more than three decades from a pay-TV provider into a broader contributor to Nigeria’s creative economy.
According to Omotosho, MultiChoice Nigeria’s operations now extend beyond television entertainment to include talent development, content production, technology and infrastructure, supporting an ecosystem of producers, actors, production crews, dealers, installers and small businesses.
“When people turn on DStv or GOtv, they see the finished product. What they don’t always see is the entire Nigerian ecosystem behind that screen,” Omotosho said.
“We are not just distributing content; we are investing in the people, businesses and infrastructure that help Nigeria’s creative economy grow.”
Omotosho said the integration into CANAL+ provides MultiChoice Nigeria with access to greater technology, content, expertise and international scale, while maintaining a strong understanding of the local market.
“I would describe MultiChoice Nigeria as a deeply Nigerian business with the strength of a global group behind it,” she said.
She noted that products, content and commercial strategies continue to be shaped by the realities of the Nigerian market, with the local operation retaining flexibility around pricing, distribution, content and customer experience.
“Nigeria is not a market where you can simply take something that works elsewhere and assume it will work here,” Omotosho said.
She pointed to Big Brother Naija and the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards as examples of platforms that have helped showcase Nigerian and African stories, culture and talent to audiences across the continent.
Talent development remains another area of focus. Omotosho highlighted the MultiChoice Talent Factory, which provides aspiring filmmakers and production professionals with skills and experience to support sustainable careers within the creative industries.
She described local investment as “fundamental” to MultiChoice Nigeria’s future, with the company seeking not only to produce content that resonates with Nigerian audiences but also to create opportunities for Nigerian stories and talent to reach international markets.
“Nigeria has the talent to be a global creative powerhouse, and we want MultiChoice to play an important role in making that happen,” she said.
Omotosho also identified piracy as a major threat to the sustainability of Nigeria’s creative economy. Illegal content distribution, she noted, affects the commercial value of productions and ultimately impacts producers, actors and other professionals whose livelihoods depend on the industry.
MultiChoice Nigeria is working with the Nigerian Copyright Commission and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy to address piracy and improve public awareness of its wider economic impact.
At the same time, the company faces growing competition in Nigeria’s increasingly fragmented media and entertainment market. Omotosho said MultiChoice’s established brands, extensive distribution network, local content and relationships with creative and commercial partners remain important competitive advantages.
However, she acknowledged that a long-standing market presence alone is not enough to retain customers.
“We still have to earn our customers every day by delivering great content, value, affordability and a strong customer experience,” she said.
Looking ahead, Omotosho said MultiChoice Nigeria’s strategy would combine the scale and resources of CANAL+ with the local expertise, talent development and creative investment that have defined its Nigerian operations.
The company aims to remain deeply rooted in Nigeria while leveraging CANAL+’s international reach to create new opportunities for Nigerian stories, talent and creative products to reach audiences beyond the country and across global markets.
