MultiChoice Retires Africa Magic Family After 12 Years, Replaces It on DSTV

MultiChoice and M-Net have scrapped Africa Magic Family after 12 years on DStv and replaced it with a new channel, Africa Magic+.

 

The change took effect on November 5, 2026, ending the run of the popular channel known for family-friendly Nollywood movies, Nigerian drama series and African entertainment.

 

The move is part of a wider restructuring of DStv’s channel lineup following a review by Canal+, MultiChoice and M-Net, according to veteran broadcast journalist Thinus Ferreira.

 

Africa Magic Family was packaged by M-Net and built a large audience in Nigeria with local content suitable for family viewing. Its replacement, Africa Magic+, signals a new branding and distribution strategy as MultiChoice targets more price-sensitive subscribers.

 

According to the report, Africa Magic+ has been moved to the newly introduced DStv Starter package which costs R99 per month in South Africa. This could give more households access to African entertainment without needing more expensive bouquets.

 

However, it is not yet confirmed if the same pricing and package placement will apply to Nigerian subscribers.

 

The development follows a similar move in South Africa in September 2026, where MultiChoice replaced Mzansi Wethu with Wethu+. The new Wethu+ on Channel 163 combined content from Mzansi Wethu, Mzansi Bioskop and Mzansi Magic Music, offering movies, dramas, telenovelas, kids shows, educational content like Woza Matrics, and two live Premier Soccer League matches every weekend.

 

For Nigerian DStv subscribers, the end of Africa Magic Family is another major change to a familiar lineup. While Africa Magic+ keeps the Africa Magic identity, questions remain about programme continuity, channel availability and subscription costs in Nigeria.

 

The shake-up comes as MultiChoice faces growing competition from streaming platforms and pushes for more affordable entertainment options.