South Africa’s entertainment and media market is set to grow to R352.4 billion by 2030, according to a new PwC forecast. The firm said the market was worth R301.8 billion in 2025.
In US dollars, PwC expects the market to rise from $16.6 billion to $19.4 billion. That is a compound annual growth rate of 3.2%.
“Across these different growth stories, one thing is becoming clear: technology is creating more ways for audiences to connect, but lasting value will come from understanding the people behind those connections,” said Charles Stuart, Africa entertainment and media leader at PwC.
The outlook also covers Kenya and Nigeria. PwC said both of those markets will grow faster than South Africa over the same period.
Kenya is forecast to grow by 5.0% a year, from $4.7 billion to $6.0 billion. Nigeria is the fastest grower at 6.9% a year, rising from $3.8 billion to $5.3 billion.
Connectivity is the biggest source of money in all three countries. By 2030, PwC expects mobile and fixed services to make up about 60% of media revenue in South Africa.
That share is expected to reach 66% in Nigeria and 75% in Kenya, the firm said.
In South Africa, PwC said streaming video revenue will grow by 7.6% a year. Traditional television is expected to shrink from R34.7 billion to R28.8 billion.
The forecast comes after MultiChoice shut down Showmax as a standalone service on 30 April 2026.
In Kenya and Nigeria, traditional TV is still growing next to streaming. PwC said streaming revenue in Nigeria will grow by 20.4% a year, the fastest rate in the world.
Kenya’s streaming revenue is forecast to grow by 15.9% a year. Both markets start from a small base, with about $78 million expected in Nigeria and $31 million in Kenya by 2030.
Price also plays a part. PwC expects average yearly streaming revenue per subscription in 2030 to be $76 in South Africa. The figure is $54 in Kenya and $42 in Nigeria, while the global average is above $100.
The firm forecasts that 5G subscriptions will reach 86.8% of users in South Africa by 2030. It expects 51.6% in Kenya and 35.3% in Nigeria.
Video games are also expected to grow faster than the global rate of 3.6% a year. South Africa is forecast to grow at 4.3%, Kenya at 5.8% and Nigeria at 8.5%.
In South Africa, music, radio and podcasts grew from R8.0 billion to R10.6 billion, PwC said. Local artists made up 70% of the 10 most streamed artists in 2025.
Nigeria’s cinema revenue is expected to almost triple, from $10 million to $29 million. Local films took almost half of that country’s box office in 2025.
“Kenya demonstrates the potential that emerges when strong connectivity, high digital engagement, and a mobile-first economy come together. The next stage is about converting that participation into value,” said Michael Mugasa, entertainment and media partner at PwC Kenya.
The outlook follows PwC’s Global Data Centre Outlook, published in September. That report projects $255 billion of data centre spending in Africa by 2050, with South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria among the main markets.
Source: this article is based on reporting by tech dot africa. Image: tech dot africa. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Entertainment desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Rirhandzu Baloyi writes about entertainment for Tzaneen Voice. Rirhandzu covers South African music, film, TV, streaming, awards and celebrity news, from amapiano and local soapies to Showmax and Netflix releases. Stories stick to what happened, who was involved and when fans can watch or listen.