Canal+ willing to engage Ghana over DSTV dispute – Sam George

minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sam George, has said that French media giant Vivendi’s Canal+, which has acquired MultiChoice, is prepared to engage with Ghanaian authorities to address the ongoing dispute over DSTV subscription rates.

The stand-off began on August 1, 2025, when Mr. George, speaking at the Government Accountability Series, directed the National Communications Authority (NCA) to suspend MultiChoice-owned DSTV’s broadcasting licence if the company failed to reduce subscription prices by August 7.

MultiChoice rejected the directive in an August 3 statement signed by Alex Okyere, Managing Director of DSTV Ghana. The company insisted it remained committed to keeping prices as low as possible without compromising service quality, but argued that the minister’s proposed reductions were not feasible.

Speaking on Joy FM on August 12, the minister noted that Canal+, which already holds over a third of MultiChoice’s shares and has secured anti-trust approval in South Africa for a complete takeover, has signalled its willingness to engage Ghana’s regulator once the acquisition is finalised.

“They are aware of the situation going on here in Ghana, and I have made it clear to them,” Mr. George noted.

“They have reached out, and I have made it clear to them: if they want to come into Ghana and operate on the license that the company they are buying has, this is our request. They’ve made certain indications, and I said to them I want it in writing.”

Mr. George disclosed that Canal+ has already secured approval from South Africa’s competition commission, with the full takeover expected to be completed by October. “I believe that should kick in sometime from September, and so Canal+ is the one taking over,” he said.

The Minister stressed that the government would only act on formal commitments.

“I don’t want to take public policy decisions on the basis of phone calls that have been made to me. I’ve asked them to put it in an official letter. Canal+ is willing to talk to us. I will not run from the fact that Canal+’s attitude is more positive than that of MultiChoice,” he added.