When Canal+, the new parent company MultiChoice, announced the discontinuation of Showmax streaming services, one of the most ambitious experiments in the history of African media, across its business regions in the continent in March, the news was met with a mixture of nostalgia and deep reflection.

For the Nigerian film and television industry, the streaming services platform was more than a Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) provider; it was a catalyst.

Over its seven-year tenure, it transformed from a newcomer in 2019 into a powerhouse that put real money behind local narratives, proving that indigenous content wasn’t just a niche interest; it was a global commodity.

When the steaming service provider entered Nigeria in 2019, it stepped into one of Africa’s most vibrant and competitive media markets. The market was at a crossroads; the streaming wars in the continent’s media market were still theoretical. Netflix had arrived, Amazon was circling, and YouTube was ubiquitous.

Its entry signaled a shift in strategy. While global competitors focused on licensed content, the platform leaned into radical localisation. The mission was clear: establish a dominant presence by becoming the primary custodian of Nigerian original stories.

The formal launch occurred in October 2021 with the premiere of Ghana Jollof, a lighthearted, cross-cultural comedy about four friends navigating love, career, and the city’s beautiful chaos. It wasn’t perfect, but it was proof of concept: a streamer willing to commission, not just license.

As the first “Showmax Original” commissioned specifically for the market, it came with heavy significance and served notice that the platform was no longer just a repository for DStv catch-up content; it was a production house in its own right.

“That green light changed my life,” says James Omokwe, a Nigerian filmmaker, television producer, and director, who would later co-create Diiche and direct Wura. “For a long time, we were making magic with nothing. But Showmax brought ‘real money’ to the table.

They brought technical standards that forced us to level up.”

“Before then, most of us were developing for TV slots or waiting for cinema. Showmax came in and said, ‘Pitch us a six-episode limited series. They validated our ambition by providing the resources to match it,” he added.

Beyond this, what Showmax brought into the equation was not just another distribution channel — it was a deliberate, well-funded commitment to local storytelling.

And for many filmmakers, writers and producers, that commitment proved transformative.

Following the success of Ghana Jollof, the floodgates opened. Showmax began commissioning at a pace and scale that the industry had never seen before. They moved into the psychological thriller space with Diiche, the first limited drama series that proved Nigerian audiences had an appetite for dark, high-concept narratives.

While Flawsome explored contemporary female friendships and ambition in urban Nigeria, Crime & Justice Lagos leaned into procedural storytelling, blending crime drama with socio-political commentary.

The platform conquered the lifestyle genre with The Real Housewives of Lagos and The Real Housewives of Abuja respectively, franchises that didn’t just trend; they dominated the national conversation, spawning memes, fashion trends, and a new tier of celebrity influencers. But the crown jewel of this commissioning journey was Wura.

Spanning a staggering 260 episodes, the gold-mining telenovela became a masterclass in long-form

Reflecting on the sheer scale of the investment, Rogers Ofime, the visionary producer behind Wura said, “To have a platform say, ‘We believe in this world enough to let you build it over 200-plus episodes’ is a game-changer. It allowed us to employ hundreds of crew members, build massive sets, and develop character arcs that actually had room to breathe. Showmax didn’t just buy a show; they built an ecosystem.”

According to Ofime, the ripple effects were felt across the value chain. The Writers’ Rooms became more structured, production timelines became more disciplined; technical standards improved, driven by the demands of a platform that operated within a global streaming ecosystem.

Before, one or two people wrote 26 episodes in a rush. On Wura, we had a room of eight writers, story editors, and script coordinators. We broke season arcs. We did table reads; we rewrote. That process alone leveled up an entire generation,” the screenwriter added.

For Cinematographer John Demps, who shot Diiche, “The development allowed us to block-shoot, and Showmax paid for rehearsals. We could light for mood, not just visibility. For Diiche, we shot with anamorphic lenses, which was unheard of for TV in Nigeria at the time. They wanted it to look like a premium drama because they believed it was a premium drama.”

Casting director Kemi Lala Akindoju notes a shift — talent got paid to specialize. “Actors could finally say no to five jobs at once. If you were a series lead on Showmax that was your year. That meant deeper performances. It also meant costume designers, set designers, and post-production houses could build teams and buy gear, knowing another Showmax project was coming,” she said

According to producer Dimbo Atiya, risk was tolerated. He noted that swings existed, but not all connected. “Showmax didn’t just want to be safe; they wanted to be distinctly Nigerian. They asked, ‘What can only happen here?’ That’s how you get Crime & Justice Lagos feeling like Ikeja, not a copy of CSI,” he said.

The numbers tell part of the story: from Ghana Jollof in 2021 to the 260th episode of Wura in 2026, Showmax commissioned dozens of titles and thousands of hours of Nigerian content. Writers graduated from staff to showrunners. Directors moved from second unit to lead. Crews that met on Flawsome became the core team on the next project.

In March 2023, Showmax took a significant step in its evolution by partnering with global media giants NBC Universal and Sky under Comcast. The collaboration culminated in a major re-launch in February 2024, introducing a redesigned app and a new product suite powered by Peacock’s globally scaled technology.

The upgrade improved user experience and content delivery, aligning Showmax more closely with international streaming standards. It also introduced a groundbreaking feature for African audiences, a standalone, mobile-only Premier League package, expanding access to live sports in a region where mobile consumption dominates.

Despite its creative successes, Showmax faced mounting financial pressures. Streaming is a capital-intensive business, and sustaining large-scale investments in original content proved challenging.

In September 2025, Canal+ completed its acquisition of MultiChoice, in a deal valued at roughly $3billion, making it one of the largest media transactions in Africa. The acquisition triggered a strategic reassessment of the company’s streaming operations. It expanded Canal+’s footprint, giving it access to over 40 million subscribers across nearly 70 countries, and positioning it as a leading pay-TV and streaming player in Africa.

The legacy of Showmax is not just found in the awards on the shelf, but in the people behind the scenes. By insisting on high production values the platform effectively upskilled a generation of Nigerian gaffers, sound engineers, script editors, and digital marketers.