A French Billionaire Buys Africa's Biggest Media Network (Live Show Today)

I will be going live with my paid subscribers to discuss this today at 12 EST. The playback will be available soon to everyone.

The acquisition of MultiChoice by Vincent Bolloré’s media empire, Canal+, represents a significant move in the control of African media. Bolloré, a French billionaire with longstanding ties to Africa through his business interests in logistics, ports, and media, has steadily increased Canal+’s stake in MultiChoice, positioning himself to dominate the continent’s media landscape. The latest bid, valued at approximately $2.9 billion, seeks full control of MultiChoice, South Africa’s leading satellite TV provider, known for DStv and GOtv.

This acquisition marks a concerning development for Africa’s media independence. Bolloré’s track record of monopolizing key industries across Africa, especially in former French colonies, suggests a continuation of neo-colonial influence. MultiChoice has long been a homegrown powerhouse in African media, offering local content, sports, and news. With Canal+ already holding a substantial stake, the takeover bid threatens to shift even more of Africa’s media narrative into foreign hands.

Canal+ sees the deal as a means to consolidate its global position, particularly in light of competition from American streaming giants like Netflix. The potential merger between MultiChoice and Canal+ would give the combined entity a massive subscriber base of around 50 million people, allowing it to outspend competitors on content production and distribution. But while this may seem like a business opportunity for Vivendi, for Africa, it raises critical questions about who controls the stories we consume and how they are shaped.

This is more than just a business transaction—it’s about who gets to define the African narrative. Bolloré’s interest in acquiring such a crucial part of Africa’s media ecosystem should make us pause and consider the long-term implications for media sovereignty on the continent.

We have to ask ourselves: Do we really want an outsider with a colonial legacy to hold such power over our media? If we’re serious about African empowerment and reclaiming our narrative, we need to stay vigilant about this acquisition.

See you at Noon today.