Sub-Saharan Africa tipped for pay TV surge

The number of pay TV subscribers in sub-Saharan Africa will have increased by 74% between 2017 and 2023 to reach 40.89 million, according to Digital TV Research.

Seventeen million pay TV subscriptions will be added in that time period, with Nigeria tipped to overtake South Africa in 2021 and have the most pay TV subscribers on the continent by 2023, according to the research firm.

However, the company also forecasts that subscriber growth will outstrip revenue progress in Africa. Pay TV revenues are expected to climb by 41% to US$6.64bn by 2023, up by US$2bn on 2017.

Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research, said: “Pay TV competition in sub-Saharan Africa is becoming more and more intense, especially given the launch of Kwesé TV in 14 countries during 2017.

“Pay TV operators in most countries have lowered subscription fees and/or subsidised/given away 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.”

tagged in: Digital TV Research, Simon Murray