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Vivendi’s media arm, Groupe Canal+ SA (Canal+), has acquired a share in Senegalese production company Marodi TV, known for its popular TV series.
The move reflects Canal+’s strategic aim to extend its African presence. Canal+ hopes to strengthen its presence in French-speaking Africa by strengthening its cooperation with Marodi TV, a prominent participant in Africa’s creative sector. The company already creates over 4,000 hours of African programming and manages 30 channels in 10 languages.
Canal+, which is financed by Bollore, is actively expanding across Africa. Earlier this year, it upped its bid for South Africa’s MultiChoice Group to R55 billion ($2.9 billion), up from the first offer of R46 billion ($2.5 billion), indicating a desire to capitalize on the continent’s burgeoning entertainment sector.
Marodi TV, a Senegalese production business started in 2012, with a library of over 600 hours of material and a dedicated YouTube audience of 6 million members. The firm, recognized for hit shows such as “Pod & Marichou,” “Maitresse d’un homme marié,” and “Karma,” has played a significant role in creating Africa’s television scene.
Following Canal+ Group’s recent investment, Serigne Massamba Ndour, the creator and majority stakeholder of Marodi TV, will continue to oversee the company. The cooperation allows Marodi TV to grow its distribution network throughout Africa and beyond by leveraging Canal+’s wide reach and resources.
Canal+’s investment in Marodi TV demonstrates the company’s commitment to developing local talent and content in Africa. The move also uses strategic relationships to strengthen its presence in the continent’s changing media ecosystem.
Vivendi, Canal+’s parent company, has progressively increased its investment in MultiChoice Group, indicating its growing ambitions in Africa’s entertainment industry. MultiChoice, which runs the famous Showmax streaming service, is a serious competitor to worldwide players such as Netflix. Vivendi is now the largest shareholder in MultiChoice.
Bollore’s net worth has increased significantly this year, from $232 million to $9.69 billion. This increase is strongly related to the performance of the Bolloré Group’s interests, which include Vivendi and internet service provider Wifirst.
