MultiChoice to Deepen Investment in Ethiopia

MultiChoice has announced its intentions to “significantly increase its investment in Ethiopia which is recognised as having huge growth potential with its large population (second only to Nigeria)”. MultiChoice has operated in the country since 1992, and the company is looking to significantly expand its reach, investment in people and infrastructure, and its support of […]

MultiChoice to Deepen Investment in Ethiopia

MultiChoice has announced its intentions to “significantly increase its investment in Ethiopia which is recognised as having huge growth potential with its large population (second only to Nigeria)”. MultiChoice has operated in the country since 1992, and the company is looking to significantly expand its reach, investment in people and infrastructure, and its support of Ethiopian content and content creators. This includes investing heavily in local content as part of the Group’s hyper-local content strategy. “Our commitment to Ethiopia can be seen throughout our tenure. Unlike many other businesses, we remained in the country since we launched our local operation nearly 30 years ago. We have built a truly Ethiopian business which has delivered solid results for us over the years. The strong foundation we have established through our local business, knowledge and expertise, positions us with a distinct advantage as we seek to unlock opportunities presenting themselves,” says Calvo Mawela, CEO of MultiChoice. “Ethiopia is open for business and has demonstrated its commitment to supporting businesses from around the world. We will continue to demonstrate our commitment to Ethiopia through the development of local skills and industries, and through exciting plans for content that speaks to Ethiopians in their own voice.” The MultiChoice Ethiopia operation, ably helmed by GM Gelila G. Michael, employs nearly 100 Ethiopians directly, and through its supply chain and network of technicians and installers supports hundreds more. Africa has also shown that it has a massive appetite for African stories, produced in Africa. Based on this, the MultiChoice Group’s strategy of creating hyperlocal content, made locally, has already borne fruit and has allowed the company to commit to continuing its investment in local content production and aggregation. This is evident in the popularity of the recently launched a dedicated Ethiopian channel Zee Alem, on the Group’s DStv platform as well as the investment in dubbing international content in Amharic. MultiChoice has also conducted training for SuperSport commentators in vernacular for local sports broadcasts. In keeping with its strategy of becoming a “one-stop-shop of content for consumers”, MultiChoice Ethiopia has also brought on board almost all free-to-air local channels and radio stations on the DStv platform to show its commitment to the Ethiopian market and to better serve its customers with local news, entertainment and music offerings. “By continuing to invest in our local markets we intend to create lasting value for the local creative industry, with benefits including improved quality in the industry arising from training in our stringent technical standards; opportunities for local content creators; distribution of content in local languages; promotion of local talent who are able to build their individual brands; on-the-job learning for those involved in productions; and new content which we can license to other channels” added Mawela. Edited by Jenna Delport Follow Jenna Delport on Twitter Follow IT News Africa on Twitter