The 2026 African OTT Survey by BMA highlights a massive disconnect between strategic intent and operational reality regarding industry partnerships. While 78% of media executives categorise partnerships as “very important” or “critical,” there is a stark 62-percentage-point gap in execution: only 16% of operators have active telco deals generating revenue.
This “intent-action gap” represents a significant missed opportunity to solve the continent’s primary scaling barrier: audience affordability. Because data costs remain the number one obstacle for African consumers, telco partnerships—specifically through zero-rating or bundled packages—are the most effective way to remove these barriers without requiring the OTT operator to cut their own prices.
The strategic window for these collaborations is closing rapidly as global OTT platforms are already in advanced discussions with African telcos. Local operators who fail to move from intent to signed deals risk being bundled out of their own markets by international competitors who leverage the massive distribution scale of telcos, which often have billing relationships with tens of millions of subscribers. To bridge this gap, the report suggests that operators must move beyond generic pitches and lead with specific data on audience overlap and the potential for ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) uplift to convince telcos of the mutual value proposition.
Some points from the resource include:
The survey found that 78% of respondents rate partnerships as critical, yet 37% have no telco deal and no current plans to pursue one. Telco bundling is specifically identified as a solution to address Africa’s primary barrier of audience affordability. Those who manage to close telco deals early are expected to gain a structural distribution advantage over the rest of the market.
A single telco partnership can double an OTT operator’s reachable audience overnight by leveraging existing subscriber bases. The report advises starting with small-scale pilots or co-branded content plays where exclusivity can be used as a lever to secure the deal.
Furthermore, telcos are essential to solving the “Mobile Money Paradox,” as they manage the payment rails that the majority of African consumers prefer.
To access the report, please click HERE.
