Canal+ Completes Full Takeover of MultiChoice with Compulsory Share Acquisition

Canal+ SA  has formally announced the compulsory acquisition of all remaining shares in MultiChoice Group Limited,  completing its takeover of Africa’s leading entertainment company. The acquisition, executed under Section 124(1) of South Africa’s Companies Act (2008), follows the acceptance of the Canal+ offer by shareholders holding more than 90% of MultiChoice’s issued ordinary shares, giving Canal+ effective control with a 94.39% stake.

This move marks the final step in Canal+’s strategic integration of MultiChoice, which will soon be delisted from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and A2X Markets. According to the official notice, trading in MultiChoice shares will be suspended on 27 October 2025, and the delisting is expected on 10 December 2025, pending regulatory approvals from the JSE, A2X, and the South African Reserve Bank.

Canal+ confirmed that all remaining MultiChoice shareholders who did not accept the initial offer will have their shares compulsorily acquired at the same offer consideration and under the same terms as the original offer. Shareholders have a 30-business-day window to exercise their rights under Section 124(2) to challenge the acquisition in court. If no challenges are raised, the compulsory acquisition and payment for the shares will occur by 5 December 2025.

The acquisition consolidates Canal+’s position as a global media powerhouse, combining its vast international operations with MultiChoice’s strong African footprint. Canal+ and MultiChoice now jointly serve over 40 million subscribers across more than 70 countries, supported by approximately 17,000 employees worldwide. The combined group includes major brands such as DStv, GOtv, Showmax, M-Net, SuperSport, Irdeto, and KingMakers.

Canal+, originally a French subscription television service founded 40 years ago, has evolved into a global content and distribution leader, owning subsidiaries such as STUDIOCANAL, Dailymotion, and Thema, as well as telecommunications arms like GVA Africa and CANAL+ Telecom. The integration with MultiChoice strengthens Canal+’s strategic position in the African and global entertainment market, allowing it to leverage synergies across content production, streaming, and digital infrastructure

Jan Hnizdo, CEO of Canal+, stated that the completion of this acquisition “cements Canal+’s commitment to Africa as a key growth market” and opens new opportunities for investment, digital expansion, and localized content creation. The transaction represents a defining moment in the evolution of the African media landscape, uniting two influential players under a single global vision for innovation, connectivity, and cultural storytelling.