The latest listing of CANAL+ hints at international confidence in South Africa’s capital markets and emphasises the role of the JSE as a conduit between global capital and African growth opportunities.
By Adedamola Jones Adedayo
On 3rd June 2026, CANAL+ listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), becoming the first-ever French company to list on the JSE.
The latest listing of CANAL+ hints at international confidence in South Africa’s capital markets and emphasises the role of the JSE as a conduit between global capital and African growth opportunities. CANAL+ enhances the JSE’s sectoral diversity and provides local investors with direct, rand-denominated exposure to a globally diversified media and entertainment business with a significant African footprint.
With over 42 million subscribers (as at 31 December 2025) across 70+ countries and an estimated 15,000 employees, CANAL+ remains a leading global media and entertainment force offering a blend of local and global content and bringing films, live sport, TV series and more on its platform. The French conglomerate boasts over 18 million subscribers across 12 European countries and holds key positions in several markets. With more than 30 years of operations in Africa, CANAL+ has 23 million subscribers across 40 African countries and offers content in over 50 languages.
CANAL+’s operations cover the entire audio-visual value chain, encompassing production, broadcast, distribution and aggregation. With its Pay-TV and streaming central to Europe, Africa and Asia, the entire group functions through its subsidiaries: MultiChoice Group, Africa’s foremost entertainment platform; STUDIOCANAL, Europe’s leading film and television studio with capabilities transcending the region; Dailymotion, a major international video platform optimized for video delivery, advertising, and monetisation; CANAL+ Distribution, focused on the production and distribution of diverse content and forms; and telecommunications services offered via GVA in Africa and CANAL+ Telecom in other territories.
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is currently ranked in the Top 20 largest stock exchanges in the world by market capitalisation, and is the largest stock exchange in Africa, having been in operation for 139 years.
CANAL+’s listing on the JSE aligns with its long-term strategy to expand its presence in high-growth markets, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where rising connectivity, a young and growing population (expected to increase by 800 million by 2050), strong GDP growth (4.5% growth expected between 2026 and 2030) and accelerating demand for content and connectivity continue to drive sector growth. The JSE listing will increase CANAL+’s liquidity and enable African investors to benefit from the growth of CANAL+.
Speaking to the milestone listing, Maxime Saada, CEO of CANAL+, reiterated the company’s commitment to Africa and confidence in the continent’s creative economy.
“Joining the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is a statement of our ambition and illustrates our belief in Africa’s future and its creative industry,” Saada said. “We are proud to become the first French company ever to list in Johannesburg and the only global media and entertainment company listed on the exchange.”
Saada further stated: “Following our listing on the London Stock Exchange 18 months ago, this dual listing reinforces our ambition to be a bridge between Europe and Africa and anchors our dual-continental approach, consolidating our unique position in the global media and entertainment industry. CANAL+ serves more than 40 million subscribers and generates €9bn in annual revenue.”
The CEO also stressed CANAL+’s growing scale and investment ambitions across the African continent, pointing out that the company generates annual revenues totalling €9 billion while catering to tens of millions of subscribers worldwide.
“Africa will be our growth engine for years to come, and we are dedicated to creating value on the continent and sharing it with our African partners, investors and the creative community,” he said. “By welcoming African investors, we deepen our roots, diversify our investor base and lay the foundation for the next phase of our growth.”
For the JSE, listings of this nature represent a deliberate strategic focus to deepen market liquidity, diversify the exchange across globally relevant sectors and connect local investors to international growth opportunities.
Valdene Reddy, the Group CEO of the JSE, described CANAL+’s debut as a landmark moment for the exchange and for African capital markets.
“CANAL+ has built one of the world’s leading media and entertainment businesses, with a significant and growing presence across Africa”, Reddy said. “Their listing on the JSE is an important milestone—not only for the company, but for the continued internationalisation of African capital markets. It reflects the growing connectivity between African and global markets and reinforces the role of the JSE as a platform through which international companies and investors can participate in the continent’s long-term growth story. We look forward to supporting CANAL+ in this next chapter as a listed company on the JSE.”