Strong SVOD Gains Projected for Africa

The number of SVOD subscribers in Africa is expected to reach 18 million by 2029, up from 8 million at the end of this year, per new Digital TV Research projections.

SVOD penetration, however, is expected to remain low, at just 7.7 percent of TV households paying for at least one service.

According to Digital TV Research, Netflix will be in the lead at 7.55 million subs by 2029, adding 3.4 million from this year. Showmax will hit 4.4 million, adding 3 million. Prime Video will be in third at 3.1 million subs, with Disney+ at 1.5 million.

“The SVOD sector in Anglophone Africa is evolving into a battle between Netflix and local player Showmax,” said Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research. “Rich in local content and sports rights, Showmax now has access to NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures and HBO content.”