Kenyan subscribers to DStv will face higher monthly bills starting August 1, as MultiChoice Kenya implements another round of price increases, continuing a trend that has seen regular hikes over the past five years. The new pricing structure will see subscription fees rise by 4% to 7% across all residential packages. The Premium package, DStv’s top-tier offering, will now cost KES 11,700 (approx. $91), up from KES 11,000. Other packages will also see increases:
- Compact Plus: KES 7,300 ($57), up from KES 6,900
- Compact: KES 4,200 ($33), up from KES 3,900
- Family: KES 2,250 ($17), up from KES 2,100
- Access: KES 1,450 ($11), up from KES 1,300
- Lite: KES 750 ($6), up from KES 650
- XtraView (multi-decoder add-on): KES 1,700 ($13), up from KES 1,500
Despite the upward adjustments in core DStv pricing, MultiChoice is simultaneously lowering prices on its digital and mobile streaming services, particularly Showmax, in a bid to retain cost-conscious users and reduce subscriber churn.
Showmax Price Cuts Target Mobile Viewers
The company is slashing rates on several Showmax mobile plans:
- General Entertainment (GE) Mobile: KES 550 ($3), down from KES 650
- Mobile-Only Plan: KES 200 ($1.55), down from KES 300
- Premier League (PL) Mobile: KES 450 ($3.49), down from KES 500
- GE + PL Mobile Bundle: KES 520 ($4.03), down from KES 700
- GE + PL Standard Bundle: KES 800 ($6.20), down from KES 1,000
MultiChoice says these changes are part of its annual pricing review, aimed at balancing affordability for customers with the rising costs of acquiring and delivering both local and international content.
Subscriber Losses and Strategic Shifts
The price adjustments come amid a challenging period for MultiChoice across Africa. The company reported a loss of 1.2 million subscribers continent-wide in the last financial year. Kenya alone accounted for approximately 180,000 of those losses—around 15% of the total. Zambia experienced the steepest decline, with subscriptions plummeting by 60%.
In South Africa, MultiChoice’s home market, the company posted a headline loss of R800 million (approx. $45 million), prompting a renewed focus on cost-cutting and exploring new revenue models.
One such idea, floated by CEO Calvo Mawela, is the unbundling of sports content, particularly SuperSport, into standalone subscription options. This would allow sports fans to pay specifically for sports content, while non-sports viewers could avoid the higher costs associated with bundled sports rights.
Kenya’s Market Outlook
Despite recent losses, MultiChoice is seeing early signs of recovery in Kenya in 2025. This rebound is partly attributed to the collapse of Azam TV’s operations in the country. The Tanzanian competitor lost nearly two-thirds of its Kenyan user base, reducing direct competition and giving MultiChoice more room to consolidate its market position.
Looking ahead, the company is betting on a combination of exclusive content—especially live sports—and more competitively priced mobile offerings to retain and grow its subscriber base in Kenya and beyond.
