Netflix dominates rivals Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery in the US — but in Africa it's a different story.
Why the era of cheap streaming is over
The streaming giant, a dominant SVOD force in much of the world, has been overtaken in Africa by the continent’s most popular streaming service, Showmax, which launched in South Africa in 2015. According to research firm Omdia, Netflix had 1.8 million subscribers in Africa as of November 2023, lagging behind Showmax’s 2.1 million subscribers, which has grown 60% since 2021.
Showmax’s rise in Africa has been fueled by an exclusive licensing deal in 2020, which gave the streaming service exclusive rights to programming from WBD subsidiary HBO in the region. An even bigger move followed in March 2023, when Showmax’s parent company, MultiChoice, struck a deal with Comcast to acquire a 30% stake in Showmax, via NBCUniversal and Sky.
The partnership has since proven successful, giving viewers access to international hits from Peacock, alongside a strong existing catalog from Max, Sony and Hulu, which delivers award-winning shows like “The White Lotus” and “The Last of Us.” Just last week, Paramount+ was added to the mix, with its own partnership deal to launch a branded hub on Showmax.
