MultiChoice Nigeria appoints Kemi Omotosho as CEO, effective from Jan 2026

Popular Pay-TV company MultiChoice Nigeria has announced the appointment of Kemi Omotosho as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) following the retirement of John Ugbe. The company said Omotosho’s appointment will take effect from January 2026. 

According to a statement by the company on Monday, Ugbe takes the exit door after almost 15 years of service in the company. During these periods, he led MultiChoice Nigeria to significant industry changes and market shifts.

MultiChoice added that Ugbe’s retirement and Omotosho’s appointment come amid a structured transition process aimed at ensuring continuity and stability in the company’s operation.

John Ugbe and Kemi Omotosho

Omotosho has over 20 years of experience in media, telecommunications, and digital businesses across Africa. She joined MultiChoice in 2014 and rose through the ranks, including roles such as Executive Head of Customer Value Management and Group Executive Head of Customer Value Management for the Rest of Africa.

At some point in her career, she was the Regional Director for Southern Africa, where she led operations and strategy across multiple countries.

While reacting to the appointment as MultiChoice Nigeria’s CEO, ‎Omotosho mentioned that the development is a privilege and she looks forward to the new position. She described the Nigerian market as strategic and dynamic.

‎”I look forward to working with our teams and partners to deepen our relationship with consumers, champion local storytelling and the creative economy, as well as build a future-ready organisation that delivers sustainable value,” she added.

In her new role, Omotosho will be overseeing MultiChoice Nigeria’s strategy, daily operations and engagement with regulators, partners and other stakeholders. 

Omotosho’s career is shaped towards driving customer growth initiatives and key strategic campaigns, positioning her as a respected leader within the Pan‑African entertainment industry.  

Also Read: MultiChoice said it paid $538 million in tax in 2025, less than it paid in 2024.

MultiChoice woes 

The appointment comes at a time when MultiChoice Group navigated shifts in consumer behaviour, technology and regulation within the pay-TV and broader media industry. It also comes amid an ongoing struggle to regain lost ground in terms of revenue and subscriber loss.

In its latest financial results for the year ended March 31, 2025, MultiChoice Group reported a decline of 1.2 million in active subscribers to 14.5 million. Nigeria alone accounted for 77% of the subscribers lost across MultiChoice’s Rest of Africa segment, which includes markets such as Kenya, Zambia, and Angola. 

Between April and September 2024, the company lost 243,000 subscribers in Nigeria, as macroeconomic and consumer conditions deteriorated further.

On another negative point, MultiChoice Nigeria’s subscription revenue declined by 44% to $197.74 million in the financial year ended March 2025, down from $355.93 million recorded in the same period a year earlier. This was attributed to rising inflation and a worsening economic climate, which triggered the mass exit of subscribers.

In its latest effort to restore performance and regain customers, the company reduced the DSTV decoder price from N10,000 to N7,900 and N6,500 for GOtv in November. 

While reacting to the decoder price slash, the Pay-TV company said that the reduction is an attempt to reinforce its commitment to serving customers better. It added that it’s a move to keep entertainment within reach for all Nigerians.

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