Leading African-based Streaming Platforms Shaking Up Entertainment Scene in 2025
Africa's digital landscape is rapidly evolving, and one of the most significant changes is the growth of streaming services. These platforms have become a popular choice for entertainment, offering a wide variety of content tailored to African audiences.
Showmax Leads the Way
Launched in 2015, Showmax is a subscription-based video-on-demand service primarily owned by MultiChoice, headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. With a customer base of 2.1 million subscribers across Sub-Saharan Africa as of 2023, Showmax currently dominates the African streaming market, surpassing Netflix with a larger subscriber base. The success of Showmax can be attributed to its significant investment in local African content, providing a diverse range of shows and movies that resonate with the African audience.
TRACE Play: Celebrating African Culture
TRACE Play is another streaming platform that focuses on Afro-urban music and entertainment. Offering music videos, concerts, documentaries, and TV shows, TRACE Play aims to connect the African diaspora with rich and diverse content that celebrates African culture.
Netflix and Other Players in the Market
Netflix holds a 31% share in the South African streaming market, while Showmax has a 13% share. Other notable players in the African streaming market include Boomplay, Viu Africa, Kwese iflix, IROKOtv, and YeboYethu. Boomplay, launched in 2015, focuses on African and urban music content, while Viu Africa offers a wide range of local and international TV shows and movies. Kwese iflix operates in several African countries, providing live sports, entertainment, and local African content. IROKOtv, founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Jason Njoku, offers a vast collection of Nollywood films and African TV series. YeboYethu is a South African streaming service offering local music and video content, primarily available to Vodacom subscribers.
MTN Shortz and Tuluntulu: Mobile-Focused Services
MTN Shortz, an initiative by MTN, Africa's largest telecom operator, offers short-form video content tailored for mobile users, featuring user-generated content, music videos, and short films for MTN subscribers across various African countries. Tuluntulu is a mobile streaming platform based in South Africa, offering African-focused TV channels and on-demand videos, accessible globally with a focus on mobile users in Africa.
The Future of Streaming in Africa
The African streaming market is projected to grow at an annual growth rate (CAGR 2025-2029) of 7.46%. By 2029, the number of users in the African streaming market is expected to amount to 46.3 million, and revenue in the market is projected to reach $7.1 million. User penetration in the African streaming market is expected to be 8.5% by 2029.
One of the latest entrants to the African streaming market is KDNPLUS, founded by King-David Ndubisi on July 1, 2024. KDNPLUS specializes in Nollywood films, African dramas, and indigenous storytelling, aiming to promote African cinema and cultural narratives on a global scale.
As the African streaming market continues to grow, it provides exciting opportunities for both local and international content creators. The diversity of content available on these platforms reflects the richness and vibrancy of African culture, making streaming services an essential part of the African digital landscape.
