Description of Activities

Description of transaction: The Commission resolved to approve without conditions the acquisition by Groupe Canal+ SAS of shares in MultiChoice Group Limited.

Acquiring group: The acquiring undertaking is Groupe Canal+ SAS, a French multimedia company involved in audiovisual (“AV”) entertainment activities, which include the broadcasting, production, distribution, and marketing of primarily French-language films, television programs, and channels. The acquiring group does not generate any turnover, nor does it have any assets in Namibia. 

Target undertaking: The target undertakings is MultiChoice Group Limited an AV entertainment service provider. The target undertaking offers linear subscription television services provided via direct-to-home satellite and digital terrestrial television transmission, over-the-top transmission via websites and mobile applications, and video-on-demand services via over-the-top, and to a limited extent via digital terrestrial television transmission. The target undertaking is active in Namibia through Multichoice Namibia Proprietary Limited. 

Relevant market: Defined as the supply of retail AV services in Namibia.

Merger Determination

The Commission found the proposed transaction unlikely to result in the prevention or substantial lessening of competition or result in any undertaking to acquire or strengthen a dominant position in the market and did not raise any public interest concerns.

However, as stated under section 50 of the Act, this approval does not relieve parties from complying with any other mandatory statutory approvals that any of the parties to this merger must comply with under Namibian laws.