Showmax has introduced a Kiswahili interface for its Tanzanian subscribers. This is the first streaming platform to do so and it sets Showmax apart from its competitors. As an Africa-first streaming service, such localization efforts can help Showmax expand to an even bigger audience.
Showmax was the first streaming service to introduce a mobile-only plan as well as being the first to offer mobile downloads for offline viewing. It was also the first to introduce a standalone Premier League mobile offering and the first to stream a local concert.
Showmax says adding the Kiswahili interface is part of its broader strategy to enhance the overall user experience on Showmax for Africans.
“Local content and offerings in local language continue to resonate strongly across the continent” says Byron du Plessis, CEO of MultiChoice South Africa. “Nine of the 10 most-streamed titles on Showmax last year were local, because our audiences want to see content that relates to their local cultures. Adding Kiswahili as a navigation option makes Showmax even more accessible and personal to a large market segment in Africa.”
Kiswahili is the most widely spoken African language in sub-Saharan Africa according to UNESCO. It is also one of the 10 most widely spoken languages in the world with over 230 million speakers.
Showmax’s parent company, MultiChoice, is the single biggest producer of African content in the world, investing in local storytelling across multiple languages. From Kiswahili and isiZulu to Hausa, Yoruba, and Afrikaans, MultiChoice produces content in more African languages than any other content provider globally.
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