Pay-TV provider DStv has lost over a million Kenyan subscribers in a year as high prices and economic pressure push many of its customers to illegal online streaming.

According to the latest data from the Communications Authority of Kenya, active DStv subscribers fell by over 84 per cent in 12 months, dropping from 1.19 million in June 2024 to 188,824 in June 2025.

Active subscribers are those who have paid within the past 90 days.

The collapse in numbers coincides with a series of price hikes by MultiChoice Kenya, the company behind DStv. In the past ten months, the company has adjusted its pricing twice, raising the cost of its Premium package from Sh10,500 in November 2024 to Sh11,700 by August 2025. Compact Plus, another popular option, went from Sh6,500 to Sh7,300 during the same period.

While DStv attributes the increases to operating costs, many Kenyans are finding the packages increasingly unaffordable. “The higher prices came at a time when most workers and households are grappling with near stagnant earnings,” the CA noted.

In response, subscribers have staged a mass migration to cheaper—or illegal—alternatives, with many households turning to free, often unlicensed, online streaming platforms for entertainment.

MultiChoice’s struggles mirror wider industry trends. Overall, Kenya’s active pay-TV subscriber base fell by nearly 77 percent in the year to June, dropping to 1.47 million users. Rivals Azam and Zuku also suffered, with Azam’s numbers falling by 63.1 percent to 30,095 and Zuku seeing a smaller 1.6 percent dip to 252,051.

In a bid to curb the churn, MultiChoice has introduced temporary offers. For instance, inactive DStv Access users who pay Sh1,450 are automatically upgraded to the Sh2,250 Family package. Still, the offers appear to be a stopgap.

Revenue from Kenyan subscriptions now accounts for only 7 per cent of MultiChoice’s total income, down from 8 per cent the previous year. With rising digital piracy and ongoing economic challenges, the pay-TV industry in Kenya is facing an uncertain future.