The local pay TV market is expected to get tighter following the entry of GOtv, a subsidiary of MultiChoice South Africa. Previously, the market has been dominated by Chinese firm StarTimes, and DStv, which is also under the MultiChoice stable. 

The entry of GOtv is a product of a partnership between Tele10 Group, Rwanda Broadcasting Authority (RBA) and GOtv Rwanda.

Stephen Isaboke, the MultiChoice Africa regional director for Eastern Africa, said they were attracted to Rwanda because of its impressive business environment. "We also want to facilitate the country’s switch from analogue to digital broadcasting by providing quality, but affordable pay TV services to the mass market,” Isaboke said. 

Arthur Asiimwe, the RBA boss, said MultiChoice would help upgrade its infrastructure to enable it host more TV channels as part of the partnership deal.

"This will help boost capacity to enable us host about 24 television channels compared to eight channels presently. The entry of GOtv presents producers of local TV content opportunity, and those willing to start TV stations as there would be more frequencies to host them,” he said during the launch in Kigali yesterday.

Tele10 Group CEO, Eugene Nyagahene, said the development would bring positive competition in the sector, forcing players to improve service quality.

GOtv operates in nine countries in Africa, including Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa.