Showmax, once a promising local streaming service, officially shut down on April 30, 2026, after ten years of operation. The closure follows a decade of consistent financial losses that proved unsustainable for the platform.
Showmax launched in August 2015 and provided both a free tier and a paid tier. Despite its ambitions to compete with global services like Netflix, Showmax never turned a profit. By late 2023, it had over two million paying subscribers.
In 2024, Showmax relaunched as Showmax 2.0 in partnership with NBCUniversal. However, total losses reached roughly UGX 2 trillion over three years from 2023 to 2025. Canal+ acquired MultiChoice in September 2025 and opted to close Showmax due to its financial situation.
Key statistics:
- UGX 270 billion lost in 2023
- UGX 584 billion lost in 2024
- UGX 1.1 trillion lost in 2025
Some content from Showmax will transition to DStv Stream, but not all titles will be available due to existing licensing agreements. DStv Stream combines streaming content with live TV channels and SuperSport features like pausing and rewinding live TV.
The shutdown raises concerns about the future of local filmmakers and producers who relied on Showmax for funding. As one observer noted, “The substantial annual losses were simply unsustainable.” Another source stated, “For every rand a customer paid, the company was spending more than six rand.” The impact on local content production remains uncertain.
