TechCabal Daily – Equity, but make it liquid

CANAL+ is now a a lot greater firm as a result of it owns MultiChoice. The awkward half is that the enterprise it purchased remains to be getting smaller the place it issues most.

What occurred? MultiChoice income fell 3% on a like-for-like foundation within the 9 months to September, dragged down by decrease subscription earnings in South Africa. Reported income nonetheless rose 0.4% to €1.81 billion ($2.03 billion), but that enhance got here largely from beneficial forex actions moderately than stronger underlying efficiency. 

There was some enchancment. The decline slowed to 2% within the third quarter from 3.4% within the first half. CANAL+ cautioned that simpler comparisons with final 12 months’s sports activities calendar additionally helped, so it is just too early to credit score the turnaround.

Explain like I’m new right here: CANAL+ accomplished its takeover of MultiChoice as a result of it wished scale throughout Africa, but the 2 companies entered the deal from very totally different positions. CANAL+’s operations outdoors MultiChoice are nonetheless rising strongly in French-speaking Africa. MultiChoice, in contrast, is coping with falling subscription income in its largest market. 

CANAL+ has began responding. In September, DStv launched a number of unbundled packages in South Africa, after shutting down Showmax in April. The group can be spending on sports activities rights, together with UEFA membership competitions and the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Between the strains: CANAL+’s strongest African enterprise and its latest acquisition are transferring in reverse instructions. Revenue from its Africa and Asia operations, excluding MultiChoice, grew 10.2% like-for-like, helped by French-speaking Africa. MultiChoice declined.

CANAL+ is concentrating on €250 million ($281 million) in synergies, but slicing duplicated prices can solely achieve this a lot. If fewer South Africans pay for DStv, the group ultimately has to repair demand, not simply bills.

What to look at: Subscriber numbers. CANAL+ didn’t disclose them this quarter. Sports rights, unbundled packages, and extra content material sound promising, but the proof of a turnaround can be whether or not DStv can preserve extra prospects and stabilise subscription income.

Building a telecom community is dear, and constructing one subsequent to an current community could be redundant. South Africa needs to make it simpler for operators to share the on-ground infrastructure.

What occurred? Solly Malatsi, South Africa’s communications minister, has requested the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), the nation’s communications regulator, to rewrite its guidelines for a way telecom corporations share infrastructure.

Explain like I’m new right here: South Africa already has guidelines for infrastructure sharing, but the framework was launched in 2010 and has not saved tempo with the trade. The authorities says the framework must be up to date to replicate how the telecoms market works. 

Why it issues: In July, operators instructed ICASA that getting wayleaves (permission to make use of public land or current infrastructure for community deployment) can take 6–12 months in some municipalities. This can sluggish fibre enlargement, cellular community upgrades, and make community enlargement extra sophisticated.

What’s altering? ICASA is being requested to hurry up leasing negotiations and create a clearer course of for resolving disputes between operators and different events, together with landowners. It may also be anticipated to construct a central map of the nation’s telecoms infrastructure. Operators would offer data on fibre routes, ducts, poles, and base stations, giving the regulator a greater image of what infrastructure already exists and the place new networks are being deliberate.

What occurs subsequent? The regulator has to work via the coverage route and develop the brand new guidelines. It is predicted to publish closing rapid-deployment rules in the course of the 2026/2027 monetary 12 months. If the brand new framework works as supposed, operators ought to have a transparent path to accessing current infrastructure and fewer deployment delays.

Aqar Exit, an Egyptian proptech startup, raised $183,000 in funding from Ayman Mamdouh Abbas, govt chairman of Intro Holding Group. (Oct 22)

Here are the opposite offers for the week:

• Tactful AI, an Egyptian AI startup, raised an undisclosed quantity of funding from Hatem Dowidar. (Oct 19)
• ChipChip, an Ethiopian agritech startup, secured an undisclosed funding from Proparco’s Digital Africa. (Oct 19)
• Neural Labs Africa, a Kenyan healthtech startup, secured $5,000 in funding from Mata AI. (Oct 19)
• Me-Nasoma, a Kenyan AI startup, secured $5,000 in funding from Mata AI. (Oct 19)
• Irrisol Engineering, a Ugandan cleantech startup, secured an undisclosed funding from Nordic Impact Funds. (Oct 20)

That’s all for this week. Africa’s unemployment price was 6.3% in 2025, but greater than a 3rd of employed Africans dwell in working poverty. Find out why right here.

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The World Wide Web3

Source:

Coin Name	Current Value	Day	Month
Bitcoin	$81,465	– 1.63%	– 6.55%
Ether	$2,390	– 2.19%	– 14.03%
XRP	$1.31	– 2.20%	– 19.85%
Solana	$103.84	– 1.51%	– 13.17%

* Data as of 05.59 AM WAT, October 23, 2026.

Written by: Emmanuel Nwosu and Yemi Kareem

Edited by: Emmanuel Nwosu & Ganiu Oloruntade