Showmax, a pan-African streaming service, has launched a Kiswahili user interface for Tanzanian users, marking a significant step forward in its mission to become Africa's premier streaming service.
The move expands on previous continental firsts, such as pioneering mobile downloads for offline viewing, creating a mobile-only package, launching a standalone Premier League mobile service, and becoming the first to stream a local concert.
The streaming service says the Kiswahili interface is part of a larger strategy to improve the entire user experience on the site for Africans.
Showmax relaunched in South Africa in February 2024, in collaboration with Comcast's NBC Universal and Sky, using a new Peacock-powered app.
Showmax has since launched localised relaunches in several countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Tanzania, with a focus on local content and accessibility via localised payment methods.
Showmax also provides programming in prominent African languages such isiZulu, Afrikaans, Yoruba, and Hausa.
“Local content and offerings in local language continue to resonate strongly across the continent. Nine of the ten 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,” says Byron du Plessis, CEO of MultiChoice South Africa.
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