MultiChoice Nigeria’s first female Chief Executive Officer, Kemi Omotosho, in this interview with THISDAY reflects on more than three decades in the country, the company’s economic and creative-industry footprint, changing consumer habits and its plans to reach more Nigerians through television, streaming and technology Belated congratulations on making history as the first female CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria. What does this appointment mean to you personally and what message do you think it sends to women aspiring to leadership positions? Thank you. It is a significant milestone, and I’m incredibly proud of it. Being the first female CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria means a lot to me, and I certainly hope I won’t be the last. I’ve never looked at leadership as something that belongs to men or women. It is about competence, hard work, courage, delivering results and being ready to seize the opportunity when it comes. I hope my appointment inspires other women, particularly younger women coming up behind us, to look at leadership positions and think, “Why not me?” Don’t put a ceiling on your ambition. Work hard, back yourself, and when the opportunity comes, be ready for it. Nigeria is one of MultiChoice’s biggest and most challenging markets, with rising costs and changing consumer habits. What are you doing to deliver greater value to subscribers and strengthen the business? Nigeria is a critical market for us, and we remain very committed to it. The reality is that the Nigerian consumer is under pressure, and our focus is clear: continue to deliver great content while making our products more affordable, accessible and flexible. We are already taking action. We reduced the entry price for DStv and GOtv to N15,000 for a full set, with monthly packages starting from N6,000. We also launched DStv Stream, so customers can now enjoy DStv without a dish or installation, giving them more choice in how and where they watch. Content remains at the heart of our business, and technology will increasingly shape how we deliver it. We are also excited to now be part of CANAL+, a truly global media and entertainment group. It opens up significant opportunities for Nigeria; from content and technology to innovation, scale and best practices from markets around the world. And there is more to come. We will continue to innovate around affordability, flexibility and accessibility; building not just for how Nigerians consume entertainment today, but for how they will consume it tomorrow. MultiChoice has operated in Nigeria for more than three decades. How has the company’s relationship with the country evolved during that period? After more than 30 years, MultiChoice is much more than a business operating in Nigeria; we have become part of everyday life. Generations of Nigerian families have grown up with DStv; watching football, enjoying their favourite local and international shows, and sharing some of the country’s biggest entertainment moments. Nigeria has changed enormously over that time, and we have evolved with it; investing, building local partnerships and remaining committed through different economic cycles. We are still here, still investing and still excited about Nigeria’s future. When we started, the ambition was to bring great entertainment into Nigerian homes. Today, it is much broader than that. We make meaningful socio-economic contributions to Nigeria; investing in Nigerian stories, talent and content, supporting thousands of jobs and livelihoods, and working with an extensive network of dealers, installers, producers and partners across the country. I’m particularly proud of the role we have played in helping Nigerian content and talent grow. Nigerian stories are not only being watched at home; they are increasingly travelling across Africa and beyond. So, our relationship with Nigeria has evolved from serving a market to being deeply invested in its growth. And after more than three decades, we still see enormous opportunity ahead. There are persistent misconceptions about MultiChoice’s ownership. Can you explain the company’s ownership structure and what it means for its operations in Nigeria? It’s actually quite straightforward. Since September 2025, MultiChoice has been part of CANAL+, a global media and entertainment group headquartered in France, with operations across 70 countries. MultiChoice Nigeria operates as part of that global group, but our business here remains firmly focused on Nigeria; our customers, our people, our partners and our local creative industry. What being part of CANAL+ gives us is the best of both worlds: strong local knowledge and execution, backed by the scale, technology, content and experience of a global group. For our customers, that creates exciting opportunities for even more innovation, ch
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