MultiChoice tightens grip on Africa with Nairobi hub
A Super Sport OB van: Multichoice Africa, which runs DStv pay-television service, has created three regional offices including west and central Africa with a bias for promoting local programmes. Photo/File
MultiChoice Africa, which runs DStv pay-television service, has upgraded its Nairobi office to a regional hub and elevated its country manager Stephen Isaboke to head the eastern Africa unit that will serve 10 countries.
The company has created three regional offices including west and central Africa with a bias for promoting local programmes as it faces competition from new entrants to the pay TV markets across the continent.
Previously, each country manager was reporting to the South Africa’s head office, but now this responsibility has been left to the regional heads in a bid to quicken the decision-making process and strengthen local content.
“The in-country general managers will report to the regional director within their jurisdictions with the overall corporate objective of ensuring that MultiChoice provides its subscribers with innovative and unique digital pay television,” said Mr Isaboke.
“This move has been made in order to further localise management control of the business in the various regions.”
Mr Isaboke will be in charge of Uganda, Tanzania, Djibouti, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somali, Sudan, Eritrea, Seychelles and Kenya, which will now be headed by Danny Mucira, a former retail director at Old Mutual Kenya.
Multi-Choice has maintained near stranglehold of Africa’s pay TV market, but its dominance is coming under new threats, especially in the core markets of Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.
In South Africa, the communication regulator is looking to license new operators while in Nigeria has also new entrants including Startimes and Infinity TV in 2010 that is shaking the duopoly DStv and Hitv.
In Kenya, it’s faced with regulatory risks as the Competition Authority investigates it for abuse of market dominance following the collapse of its rivals.
The probe follows the recent collapse of Smart TV on low uptake of it service and inadequate funding; making it the second pay-television operator in Kenya to close shop after GTV fell into financial distress in 2009.
Its rivals, led by Wananchi reckon that they have faced difficulties sourcing content for subscribers in the face of DStv dominance and want the authority to compel the South African firm to enter into a resale deal with them.
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