MultiChoice delivers first DStv price cut under Canal+ with up to KES 9,000 discount

MultiChoice is finally slashing DStv decoder prices in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria by as much as 40% online and 30% in retail stores in what marks the first major move by Canal+ since completing its $2 billion takeover of the pay-TV giant earlier this year.

The new prices, which take effect from November 1, 2025, come after DStv’s continued struggle to retain subscribers across Africa. Over the past two years, the platform has lost 2.8 million active subscribers, half of them in South Africa alone while Kenya accounted for a 1.2 million drop in subscribers between June 2024 and June 2025.

In Kenya, where DStv remains the largest pay-TV provider, Tech Cabal reports that decoder prices will drop by up to KES 9,000. The HD Zapper + Dish Kit will now cost KES 1,919 online (down from KES 3,199), while the flagship DStv Explora will go for KES 13,500, down from KES 22,500.

In South Africa, the price is down by up to R1,400:

As for Nigeria, here are the new DStv decoder prices starting next month:

Sure, the cuts lower the entry barrier for customers who’ve been hesitant to join DStv, with active subscribers set to enjoy an Open Time Weekend from November 7–9, unlocking Premium content for free. However, the company still has the small matter of retaining existing customers.

Canal+ moves to steady a sinking ship

The decoder discount is Canal+’s first big play as DStv’s new owner, part of a broader strategy to make satellite TV affordable again. The French media giant is betting that cheaper hardware could bring back middle-income households that have drifted to Netflix, Showmax, or YouTube; all of which now dominate Africa’s streaming scene.

But the reality is far tougher. DStv’s subscriber base has shrunk in nearly every market, which explains why the company has been experimenting with new tactics ranging from weekly subscription plans to integrated streaming bundles. Even so, customers continue to cite high monthly prices and repetitive programming as key frustrations.

While lower prices for anything will always be a win for consumers, the major concern has always been the cost of the DStv monthly packages. Indeed, DStv’s current subscription tiers remain among the highest on the continent. In Kenya, DStv Premium plan costs nearly KES 12,000 per month, rivaling the price of several streaming subscriptions combined.

Cheaper hardware, same expensive subscriptions

This is not the first time MultiChoice has tried to soften its image. Late last year, the company raised prices despite subscriber pushback, citing currency pressures and rising content costs. The recent cut, then, is a reversal of that trend though it notably applies only to new customers.

From a business perspective, the move makes sense: cheaper entry points mean more homes with DStv boxes. But unless the company follows this up with drastic cuts to subscription fees, it risks repeating the same cycle of onboarding new customers who later churn out over cost frustrations.

With Canal+ now firmly in control, DStv’s new chapter could hinge on how fast it modernizes its pricing model. Between the hundreds of streaming platforms now jostling for African eyeballs, and inflation-strained households tightening entertainment budgets, the pay-TV era is being redefined.