Pay television company MultiChoice Uganda, which operates DStv and GOtv, will adjust its package prices, effective August 1.
The adjustment, MultiChoice said in a notice, were occasioned by economic pressures and a review of the financial outlook.
“… Multichoice will be making adjustments to its prices effective August 1, 2025. This decision follows a review of the economic outlook,” the notice reads in part.
MultiChoice is yet to give more details on the adjustments.
However, the pay television service provider will likely follow a price increase trend it adopted five years ago.
MultiChoice considers several fundamentals while adjusting subscription rates.
These include the movement of the dollar, inflation, the price of acquisition of content, and the cost of satellite transmission.
The above fundamentals, however, have largely remained stable for over a year now.
Inflation has remained under the Bank of Uganda 5% target, while the dollar has largely maintained a stable stance.
The adjustments also come at a time when the pay television sector is facing a substantial drop in subscriber numbers.
The drop is due to changing consumer behaviour and an increase in internet penetration.
Drop in numbers
UCC data indicates that between March and September 2024, pay television subscribers reduced from 2.4 million to 1.1 million.
TotalEnergies Spends UGX 4.6 Billion to Drill a Single Oil Well in Uganda—But Kingfisher’s Deeper Wells Push Costs HigherMultiChoice has previously indicated that it faces rising costs, which continue to present challenges regarding the acquisition of quality content.
The adjustments mirror recent price increases in other countries, such as Nigeria and Kenya, where subscription rates have been hiked.
While such adjustments are not new, they often elicit concern from subscribers.
In the year ended March 31, 2025, MultiChoice Group reported a headline loss of 800 million rand.
This was a significant drop from the previous year’s headline earnings of 1.3 billion rands.
The loss resulted from a decline in subscribers, foreign exchange losses, and increased investment in the streaming service, Showmax.
Impact on consumers
The decision will impact subscribers who rely on DStv and GOtv to access news, education, and entertainment content.
In a strategic response to consumer affordability concerns, MultiChoice, in April, rolled out “Ka Weekie”—a 7-day subscription model designed to offer short-term access.
The weekly packages begin at UGX 5,000, covering entry-level bouquets like DStv Lumba and GOtv Lite. The offer extends across different packages.
The “Ka Weekie” model also seeks to give subscribers financial flexibility and control over when or how they watch programmes.
