Just when iROKOtv thought they had a hold on the diaspora, Multichoice has launched Africa Magic Go. Currently unavailable for those accessing it from Nigeria, Africa Magic Go is a streaming service dedicated to bringing all the Africa Magic goodness to Africans living abroad.
iROKOtv’s Jason Njoku has humbly acknowledged Africa Magic Go as competition. Africa Magic has same pricing ($8 a month) as iROKOtv but without the extended commitments. But that’s not all Jason Njoku has to worry about.
You see, Africa Magic pretty much has the local African market. The diaspora used be iROKOtv’s bragging rights. If you ask me, Multichoice’s foray into iROKOtv territory is probably more of an attempt to claim some market share, than it is a validation of the subscription model. Especially as the subscription model doesn’t appear to as profitable as it should be:
Data porn. Top100 subscribers account for 14% of video views per month. We have 1M+ viewers. #passwordsharing
— JasonNjoku (@JasonNjoku) April 11, 2014
However, viable subscription model or not, Africa Magic Go is definitely worthy competition. Yes, iROKOtv has the advantage of an early start but Africa Magic Go has the advantage of content. If the same movies, series, shows and soaps that are currently available on Africa Magic will be available of Africa Magic Go, $8 a month may not be too much of a price to pay. A lot of the people this service is targeted at make more than $8 an hour. It will be interesting to observe how things pan out in the coming months.
