“Hakuna Wateja” MultiChoice Kenya Cuts Decoder Prices in Bid to Win Back Subscribers
In a strategic reversal, MultiChoice Kenya has announced significant price reductions on its DStv and GOtv decoders and installation kits. The move comes as a direct response to a dramatic loss of pay-TV subscribers, driven by years of repeated price increases and intense competition from more affordable digital streaming platforms.
The revised pricing, which will be in effect until December 31, 2025, sees the cost of a DStv Zapper HD decoder drop from KSh 1,199 to KSh 850. GOtv decoders have been reduced from KSh 999 to KSh 799. Installation costs have also been slashed, with a GOtv antenna now priced at KSh 700 and a DStv dish kit lowered to KSh 1,650.
This aggressive promotional strategy marks a stark shift for the company, which had implemented seven package price hikes in under three years. That period of increasing costs, compounded by widespread economic pressure on households, triggered a massive customer exodus.
The scale of the decline is staggering. Industry figures reveal that DStv’s active subscriber base in Kenya plummeted from approximately 1.19 million to just 188,824 by June 2025—a loss of nearly 80% in a single year.
“The revised pricing is intended to show appreciation to our loyal customers while making our service more accessible to new users,” said MultiChoice Kenya Managing Director Nzola Miranda. He acknowledged the company is adapting to “changing market realities and intensifying competition.”
The Kenyan price adjustment occurs amidst major structural changes for the MultiChoice Group. South Africa’s Competition Tribunal recently approved a deal allowing French media giant Canal+ to acquire up to 100% of MultiChoice’s ordinary shares, though certain local operations will remain separate to comply with regulations.
Despite the price cuts, analysts question whether this tactic will be enough to reverse the subscriber slump. Similar declines have been recorded in other key African markets for MultiChoice, including Nigeria, Zambia, and Angola, as consumers increasingly pivot to cheaper, flexible digital alternatives.
The promotion now places the ball in the consumers’ court, testing whether a lower upfront cost can offset the ongoing subscription fees and lure viewers back to traditional pay-TV.
