As the industry reacts to news that Showmax will be phased out as part of a restructuring by Canal+ following its takeover of MultiChoice, Mo Abudu is urging filmmakers and media companies to focus on building sustainable local streaming platforms.
In a statement shared on Instagram on March 5, the EbonyLife Group founder described the moment as a turning point for the continent’s screen industries.
“No one is coming to save us,” Abudu wrote. “It is up to us to build sustainable business models that truly work for our market.”
Canal+ confirmed this week that Showmax will be phased out as the company integrates MultiChoice’s streaming operations into its broader global strategy, ending a platform that had spent years positioning itself as a major home for African film and television.
The development comes as global streaming companies scale back spending and focus on profitability after years of aggressive expansion into international markets.
Abudu’s comments also come months after the launch of EbonyLife ON Plus, a digital platform developed by the EbonyLife Group as a direct-to-consumer distribution hub for African stories. The service launched in late 2025 with a mix of films, series, podcasts, masterclasses and live experiences targeting audiences across Africa and the diaspora.
“It is still very early days for the new indigenous streaming platforms that have launched recently,” Abudu wrote. “At EbonyLife ON Plus, we are committed to doing everything we can to grow and strengthen our platform. We understand that it is a long journey and we are prepared for the work and patience it requires.”
The platform forms part of EbonyLife’s broader media ecosystem, which spans film production, television, lifestyle content and experiential events.
Abudu said the industry should use the current shift to rethink how African stories are financed, distributed and monetised.
“We are a continent rich in culture, tradition, and powerful stories,” she wrote. “We must learn from global success stories, adapt what works, and create our own pathways because that is exactly what others have done.”
She added that she views the moment less as a setback and more as an opportunity.
“Personally, I see this as an opportunity rather than a challenge.”
The shutdown of Showmax marks one of the biggest changes in the continent’s streaming landscape since the silent exit of Netflix and Prime Video, leaving studios, filmmakers and audiences watching closely to see what new distribution models will emerge next.
