MultiChoice Nigeria has issued a stark warning to its DStv subscribers, stating they could lose access to CNN International and 11 other channels owned by Warner Bros. Discovery starting from January 1, 2026. The potential blackout hinges on the outcome of ongoing carriage agreement negotiations between the pay-TV giant and the American media conglomerate.
Channels at Risk and Negotiation Deadline
The company communicated this development directly to customers via a message on Monday, December 2, 2025. MultiChoice clarified that the existing broadcast deal with Warner Bros. Discovery is set to officially lapse on December 31, 2025. While discussions are still in progress, no new contract has been finalised.
If the talks collapse, the following suite of popular channels will disappear from the DStv platform:
- CNN International
- Discovery Channel
- TNT Africa
- TLC
- Food Network
- Cartoon Network
- HGTV
- Cartoonito
- Investigation Discovery
- Real Time
- Discovery Family
- Travel Channel
This news compounds an already challenging period for MultiChoice, which has been grappling with significant subscriber losses across the African continent.
MultiChoice's Subscriber Challenges and Wider Industry Shake-up
Recent financial data paints a difficult picture for the broadcaster. The company has reportedly lost 2.8 million active subscribers over the last two financial years. In 2025 alone, DStv recorded a further decline of 1.2 million users, split evenly between its home market of South Africa and its other African operations.
The situation in Nigeria is particularly acute. Reports indicate that MultiChoice shed approximately 1.4 million customers in a two-year span, as many households cut back due to subscription hikes and the general increase in the cost of living. The potential loss of major international channels could exacerbate this trend, further eroding the platform's value proposition.
This is not an isolated incident. The announcement follows a similar move by Paramount Africa, which stated that channels like BET Africa and MTV Base will cease broadcasting on DStv from January 1, 2026, with CBS Reality and CBS Justice shutting down even earlier on December 31, 2025.
Global Media Restructuring and DStv's Future Focus
These content cuts reflect larger, seismic shifts within the global media and entertainment industry. Warner Bros. Discovery itself is undergoing a major internal restructuring and has reportedly attracted takeover interest from rivals like Paramount, Comcast, and Netflix.
Meanwhile, MultiChoice, under its new parent company Canal+, is attempting to reposition the DStv brand for the intense competition in Africa's streaming market. Its strategy involves adjusting prices, investing more in local content, and aggressively pursuing premium sports broadcasting rights, particularly football.
The combined Canal+ and MultiChoice entity now serves over 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries in Africa, Europe, and Asia. The group employs about 17,000 people globally and is expected to provide a comprehensive strategic update in early 2026.
Industry analysts suggest that losing a flagship news channel like CNN and the diverse documentary and entertainment offerings from Warner Bros. Discovery could significantly weaken DStv's general entertainment catalogue. This would leave sports broadcasting as its primary and most compelling attraction for retaining and attracting subscribers in the Nigerian market and beyond.
