Cheaper DStv: 4 new packages take effect November 5

Canal+ and MultiChoice Ghana have introduced cheaper DStv subscription packages to make pay television more affordable and discourage pirated services and illegal digital boxes. The existing six DStv packages will be replaced with four — Starter, Select, Sports and Ultimate — priced at GH¢50, GH¢100, GH¢250 and GH¢570 a month respectively. Canal+ and MultiChoice Ghana agreed on the new subscription rates after engaging with the government through the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations.

It is intended to lower the cost barrier to legitimate television content ahead of a planned government crackdown on piracy, while giving subscribers broader access to entertainment, news, movies and sports at significantly reduced prices. The parties announced details of the agreement at a joint press conference in Accra on Monday, October 26, 2026, where they outlined the new subscription structure and measures to tackle piracy in the pay television ecosystem.

Interest of Ghanaians The Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, said the government’s engagement with MultiChoice and Canal+ was driven by the need to protect Ghanaian consumers’ interests by making television content more affordable. “I think that for us, when we began this journey with MultiChoice and now, Canal+, the question had been very simple.

How do we put content in the hands or in the homes of Ghanaian families at an affordable price? The Ghanaian consumer is our ultimate interest,” he said. He added that the government was awaiting an opinion from the Attorney-General’s Department before launching a major crackdown on illegal television streaming and ghost boxes. He said the National Communications Authority and the Cyber Security Authority had already reviewed the proposed technical solutions and found them viable for tackling piracy, including measures involving the blocking of IP addresses used for illegal streaming.

Mr George said the government wanted to ensure it addressed all legal implications before enforcement began, adding that a committee comprising the ministry, NCA, MultiChoice, National Security, Customs, and other relevant institutions would continue to coordinate the exercise and protect consumers. Not a promo MultiChoice Ghana’s Country Chief Executive Officer, Alex Okyere, said the new structure would simplify DStv’s offerings from six packages to four while expanding the content available to subscribers.

He said the GH¢50 Starter package would offer 90 channels, including selected entertainment, movie, children’s and free-to-air channels as well as all La Liga matches, while the GH¢100 Select package would provide 123 channels. The GH¢250 Sports package would carry the company’s entire football offering, including the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, compared with GH¢563 currently required to access the full football offering.

Ultimate, which replaces the current GH¢854 Premium package, would cost GH¢570 and include additional premium sports such as Formula One, golf, tennis, MotoGP and rugby. “This is not a promo. These are the new packs, new prices that are here to stay. These are the new packs, new prices that are here to stay. So, I think that answers the question,” Mr Okyere said.

Piracy effects The Executive Vice-President of Public Affairs for Rest of Africa at Canal+, Dr Keabetswe Modimoeng, described the agreement as a product of sustained engagement between the company and the government and an example of the benefits expected from the Canal+ and MultiChoice merger. He said piracy remained a major threat to the creative industry because illegal consumption of content deprived people across the production value chain of income, including producers, actors, costume designers and make-up artists.

Dr Modimoeng said Canal+ was therefore encouraged to make combating piracy a priority, stressing that protecting content ultimately meant safeguarding livelihoods. He added that the country’s macroeconomic and currency stability also made it easier for the company to run the projections and cost modelling needed for sustainable pricing.