Showmax is coming after Netflix and Amazon

As one of the largest streaming services in Africa, Showmax has employed several key strategies to compete with, and even beat, international streaming giants.

According to data company Fabric, global streaming leader, Netflix, dominates Africa’s market share, operating in all 60 countries. Amazon’s Prime Video also operates in almost all countries.

However, South African streaming company, Showmax, is coming up on their heels. Showmax currently operates in 44 African countries.

The streaming service, which is owned by MultiChoice, has a unique advantage which sets it apart from its American competitors: local content.

Fabric found that across all streaming platforms, there are more than 60,000 unique titles available in Africa.

However, only 2% of those are fully local productions. An overwhelming 97% come from outside the continent, and just 1% are international co-productions involving African countries.

Tracy-Ann van Rooyen, Executive Head of Content at Showmax, explained that the strategies that content providers consider start with a deep understanding of who their audiences are and what they need.

“It’s not enough to simply entertain – we must deliver content that truly reflects their lived experience. Real engagement comes from knowing not just what viewers want to watch, but also how it’s delivered,” she said.

“At Showmax, we understand that in a world where viewers are constantly switching between platforms and screens, we need to deliver the right content to the right audiences, where they want it, how they want it, and when they want it.”

As a MultiChoice streaming platform, Van Rooyen said Showmax can share a vast amount of content from its African linear channels.

“For instance, in West Africa, Africa Magic premiere content is shown either ‘same-time’ or ‘next-day’ on Showmax,” she explained.

“We can go live with shows like Idols Nigeria or ‘same-time’ as Mzansi Magic with the upcoming second season of Married at First Sight Mzansi.”

Many global platforms follow a similar approach. However, Showmax is able to capitalise on its original IP by leveraging homegrown local franchises that can be tailored across Africa.

“For example, the South African Mommy Club franchise has been successfully adapted in East Africa with Mommy Club Tanzania and Mommy Club Nairobi – the latter launching as the platform’s second most-watched show in its premiere,” Van Rooyen said.

Optimising discovery

Van Rooyen said Showmax’s audiences are curious about content from the continent, and localised formats give them easy access.

“However, we do also understand that Africa is not a homogeneous continent, and audiences mostly prefer what is local to them first. A sense of Pan-Africanism exists in parallel to the need for hyper-local entertainment,” she said.

“We have seen this paradox with the award-winning telenovela The River – a South African original – that has also been customised for both East and West Africa, where it has become extremely popular.”

According to Van Rooyen, all of Showmax’s originals look to deliver locally, but show they have legs and can travel.

After creating the content, she said the next step is optimising it for discovery across several touchpoints. This includes the streaming app itself – whether it’s on mobile, web or leanback devices.

This involves platform design and AI deployment for user insights and recommendations, all geared to helping users find the content they want, often before they even know it themselves.

She said that, as a leading player in the African Subscription Video on Demand space, Showmax has found an effective way to compete.

This includes building its local inventory, securing an additional content pipeline with strong partnerships, and creating a tailored experience for African viewers.

“A broad offering balancing movies, series, doccies, sports and kids shows has been a competitive strategy for us, but the data tells us that local is king. We have therefore invested heavily in building the domestic production industry,” she said.

“We have rich partnerships with the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), bringing talent into the production pipeline, transferring skills, and building the next generation of filmmakers.”

Student productions are also part of the Showmax content offering. As such, Van Rooyen said Showmax regularly meets with students to identify opportunities for them in its content mix.

Africa is a young continent. The UN estimates that 70% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa is under 30.

“It therefore makes cultural and business sense to empower the young people of today to be the storytellers of the future,” she said.

Format innovation

Looking at the formats audiences consume content in is another important consideration for streaming services.

“We’ve learnt from our research that communal viewing remains popular among young people,” Van Rooyen said. “Watch parties – online or in-person – are a thing.”

“They may no longer be watching with family, but they’re building digital communities around the shows and characters they love.”

Audiences want layered, fast-paced storytelling. They also aren’t just watching episodes. Today, many viewers engage with a whole ecosystem which related to the media they enjoy, from podcasts to short-form content, to stay immersed.

“As a streaming service, we understand that we are not TikTok or YouTube, but we must ensure we find ways to extend the viewing experience to capture viewer attention and hold it,” she said.

To do this, Van Rooyen said they rely on multiple touchpoints and innovate how they serve and allow content discovery.

“In programming, we focus on building a strong repertoire – diverse shows, studio brands, and genres that drive platform stickiness,” she said.

“It’s about striking the balance: delivering the instant gratification of binge-worthy hits, while sustaining engagement with evergreen favourites audiences return to again and again.”

Van Rooyen explained that the differentiating factor is not just about the content, but how the user engages with it.

“It must generate talkability that will give storylines and characters longevity across friend groups and social media communities,” she said.

“The beauty of streaming is that it can offer immediate recommendations, lining up related offerings that are attuned to the user’s tastes.”