Just a quick item I thought was worth sharing, given what we've been tracking about Netflix's changing position in Africa over the past few years.
In an interview published by South African technology publication MyBroadband on 11 October 2026, Kaye Ann Williams, Netflix's executive overseeing scripted content in sub-Saharan Africa, said the company is now producing 15 to 20 South African films and television programmes annually, up from eight to 12. The figure includes scripted and non-fiction productions, excluding third-party acquisitions.
Of course, Netflix's first decade in Africa has been concentrated in South Africa following a period of expansion into Nigeria and, on a smaller scale, Kenya between 2020 and 2023. From late 2024, new commissions declined considerably, particularly in Nigeria. The company has since relied more heavily on distribution partnerships elsewhere, including its June 2025 agreement with Canal+ to bundle Netflix subscriptions across 24 French-speaking sub-Saharan African countries. Canal+ has also discussed extending the arrangement into territories served by MultiChoice, which it acquired in September 2025. How that would operate in South Africa, where Netflix is simultaneously increasing its own production investment and already has a billing arrangement with MultiChoice's DStv service, has yet to be clarified.
The increase also comes after the closure of MultiChoice's Showmax streaming service in 2026, leaving a significant sub-Saharan commissioning void.
Also worth noting is that, in the same MyBroadband interview, Netflix's Williams mentioned plans to invest in more stories from Africa, although she identified no additional countries, projects, budgets or timelines.
She pointed to the international performance of "The Polygamist," which she said accumulated 24 million views in its first five weeks and entered Netflix's Top 10 in 62 countries. I covered the series in July when Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos singled it out during the company's second-quarter earnings presentation, as an unusual acknowledgment of an African title in its investor communications.
The company says it has commissioned or licensed more than 300 South African titles, worked with over 30 production companies across 20 cities, and supported more than 8,000 jobs.
So, in summary, there is a measurable increase in South African production, which is worth filing away, given the changes across the continent's streaming and commissioning businesses. What that means for Netflix's production activity elsewhere in Africa is still unclear.