MultiChoice Appoints Kemi Omotosho as Nigeria CEO

Pay-TV operator MultiChoice Nigeria has announced the appointment of Kemi Omotosho as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), following the retirement of long-serving chief executive John Ugbe. The appointment takes effect from January 2026.

In a statement released on Monday, the company said Ugbe will be stepping down after nearly 15 years of service, during which he steered MultiChoice Nigeria through major industry shifts, regulatory changes, and evolving consumer preferences.

MultiChoice noted that Ugbe’s retirement and Omotosho’s appointment are part of a structured leadership transition designed to ensure operational continuity and long-term stability.

Omotosho brings over two decades of experience across media, telecommunications, and digital businesses in Africa. She joined MultiChoice in 2014 and has held several senior leadership roles, including Executive Head of Customer Value Management and Group Executive Head of Customer Value Management for Rest of Africa.

She also previously served as Regional Director for Southern Africa, where she oversaw operations and strategy across multiple markets.

Reacting to her appointment, Omotosho described the role as a privilege, noting that Nigeria remains one of MultiChoice’s most strategic and dynamic markets.

“I look forward to working with our teams and partners to deepen our relationship with consumers, champion local storytelling and the creative economy, and build a future-ready organisation that delivers sustainable value,” she said.

As CEO, Omotosho will oversee MultiChoice Nigeria’s strategy, day-to-day operations, and engagement with regulators, partners, and other key stakeholders.

Her career has been largely defined by customer growth initiatives and high-impact strategic campaigns, earning her recognition as a respected leader within the Pan-African entertainment industry.

MultiChoice’s current challenges

Omotosho’s appointment comes at a challenging period for the MultiChoice Group, as it grapples with shifting consumer behaviour, technological disruption, regulatory pressures, and intensifying competition across the pay-TV and broader media landscape.

In its financial results for the year ended March 31, 2025, the Group reported a decline of 1.2 million active subscribers, bringing its total subscriber base down to 14.5 million.

Nigeria accounted for 77% of the subscriber losses across MultiChoice’s Rest of Africa segment, which includes markets such as Kenya, Zambia, and Angola.

Between April and September 2024, the company lost 243,000 subscribers in Nigeria, largely due to worsening macroeconomic conditions and reduced consumer spending.

Revenue performance was also impacted. MultiChoice Nigeria’s subscription revenue fell by 44% to $197.74 million in the financial year ended March 2025, compared with $355.93 million in the previous year. The decline was attributed to rising inflation and increased cost-of-living pressures, which led to mass subscriber churn.

As part of efforts to stabilise performance and win back customers, MultiChoice recently reduced the price of its decoders, cutting DStv decoder prices from ₦10,000 to ₦7,900 and GOtv decoders to ₦6,500 in November.

The company said the price adjustment reflects its commitment to keeping entertainment accessible and affordable for Nigerian consumers amid challenging economic conditions.