Disney’s sports play in SA + Ghana edges toward DStv truce
ESPN arrives on Disney+ in South Africa; a possible resolution to the standoff between Ghanaian regulators and DStv.
Hello!
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Join us on the 30th as we host TikTok’s head of operations for Sub-Saharan Africa, Boniswa Sidwaba, CEO of KNN Media, Kayise Ngqula, and CEO of Africa Podcast Network, Jon Savage.
Expect candid conversations about the creator economy in South Africa, along with numerous opportunities to connect with inspiring individuals. Seats are limited, reserve yours now.
In today’s Digest, we discuss
Disney+’s ESPN rollout in South Africa
Ghana and Multichoice’s price hike
Centre Spread 🗞️
Disney+ expands in South Africa with ESPN
Starting October 2, 2025, South Africans will be able to stream ESPN on Disney+, as the platform expands its local offering with live sports.
Disney announced on September 22 that its two 24-hour ESPN channels will be available at no extra cost to Premium and Mobile plan subscribers. The channels will feature live and studio programming from major U.S. leagues, including the NBA, MLB, and NHL, as well as rugby competitions from Australia and Japan. Viewers will also gain access to European football tournaments, including the English Championship, Germany’s DFB-Pokal, the Turkish Süper Lig, and the Saudi Pro League.
Disney+ first launched in South Africa in 2022, entering a competitive streaming market dominated by MultiChoice. By adding live sports to its catalogue of films and series, Disney+ is targeting a new segment of subscribers: sports fans who have long relied on MultiChoice’s SuperSport for coverage of major local and international events.
Diego Londono, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Networks and Sports at The Walt Disney Company EMEA, said the move reflects Disney’s broader strategy. “The launch of the ESPN Africa linear channels on Disney+ in South Africa reflects our strategy to reach sports fans across multiple platforms and connect with new audiences,” he stated.
The ESPN channels are already available on MultiChoice’s DStv and on StarTimes across Africa. Their addition to Disney+ positions the platform more competitively in Africa’s sports broadcasting market, where live rights remain the crown jewel.
Ghana’s DStv price war nears resolution
The long-running standoff between MultiChoice and Ghanaian regulators over subscription fees may be nearing resolution, with a government-appointed committee expected to present its findings on Monday, September 29, 2025.
The committee was established earlier this month to mediate between the company and the state, following a clash between Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovation Minister Samuel Nartey George and MultiChoice over a 15% fee hike introduced in April. The minister has repeatedly described the increase as unfair.
While George has pushed for a 30% reduction, analysts expect the committee’s report to recommend a compromise, like a phased price cut or a cap on future increases linked to inflation, rather than fully backing either side.
The dispute in Ghana reflects a broader wave of regulatory pressure facing MultiChoice across Africa, now under the ownership of French media group Canal+. The $3 billion takeover, completed earlier this year, has reshaped Africa’s largest pay-TV operator, which is also contending with regulatory battles in Nigeria and growing consumer discontent in Kenya, where steep price hikes have accelerated subscriber losses.
For Canal+, regulatory goodwill may prove as critical to its African expansion strategy as securing premium sports rights or investing in technology upgrades. The Ghanaian outcome could signal how the new parent company balances profitability with political and consumer pressures across its largest markets.
Crunch Time 📈
The creative economy’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP
Catch Up 📬
Communiqué 88: The publishing company behind Femi Otedola’s bestselling book
Narrative Landscape’s record-breaking sales of Femi Otedola’s autobiography and Chimamanda Adichie’s latest novel stand out in a climate where the consensus is that Nigerians don’t read.
This week’s Communiqué essay traces how the humble beginnings of the company, which now boasts an enviable catalogue featuring Chimamanda Adichie, Lupita Nyong’o, and Wole Soyinka, and how it has, over time, built the trust and reputation that made today’s milestones possible.
Read the full essay here. Don’t forget to share with friends and support Communiqué so we can tell more stories like this.
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Curiosity Cabinet 🗄️
ICYMI, the Nigeria Creator Economy Report is now live, and it shows how local creators are contributing significantly to the country’s economic growth.
More good news: Communiqué emerged as one of the winners of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s Global Call for solutions for an Inclusive Digital Economy.
Lanre Shonoki on taking a structured approach to proper value capture for investors and operators in the Nigerian creative economy.
This week’s Offscript guest, Benjamin Dada, tells us what he values most in a hire as he built Condia, one of Africa’s leading tech publications.
Over 500 business leaders and investors gather here at Counder Conference 2026 to discuss and connect on how to support the next generation of cultural and creative entrepreneurs.
Explore more of Africa’s creative economy in one place. Communiqué’s African Creative Economy Database tracks 1,000+ companies, events, investors, and government actors across the continent.
That’s it for this week’s Digest. See you next week.
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