Report: Naspers’ Showmax to take on Netflix with global expansion plans

According to reports, South Africa’s media and internet giant Naspers is set to expand its recently-released video-on-demand (VoD) offering, ShowMax, to reach more than 15 million customers outside of its home country.

ShowMax launched in South Africa in August this year, with 400 movies and more than 750 series titles. The package costs consumers R99 per month. The launch was followed by Hong Kong’s VoD offering OnTapTV the next month.

Both services launched amid rumours that the US-based Netflix is set to launch in South Africa and a host of other emerging markets early 2016. They joined the market with altready established South African players Vidi and MTN’s FrontRow, with Altech’s Node having been terminated on 31 October.

Read more: ShowMax: the good, the bad and the Naspers conundrum

According to a report by Bloomberg, a “person familiar with the matter” says that ShowMax is gearing up to expand to the rest of Africa, Europe, North America and Australasia.

ShowMax is said to also provide Afrikaans content in international markets next month, with west African shows to follow suit next year.

It is reported that a deal with Samsung will include the VoD service on smart TVs. Bloomberg also notes that Naspers has signed agreements with South Africa’s major telecoms Telkom and Vodacom.

Showmax is yet to confirm these reports.