Surveys reveal substantial SES growth in Africa

1 min read
Surveys reveal substantial SES growth in Africa

SES is the leading satellite service provider in Africa. How do we know? Simple: our extensive research tells us so.

For over 20 years, SES has been conducting Satellite Monitor surveys in its core markets. These market research studies, which we conduct annually, provide useful market insights to broadcasting operators and investors, and demonstrate the value and importance of satellite infrastructure. They have also shown that SES currently accesses more than 350 million homes worldwide through more than 10,300 TV, HD and UHD channels. In Africa, these numbers are no less staggering. 

In 2017, the Satellite Monitor surveys we conducted in Ghana and Nigeria showed excellent growth, with our technical reach in Ghana doubling between 2015 and 2017 from 2 million homes to 4 million homes. This means that SES now reaches two-thirds of Ghana’s TV-watching population, primarily through its satellite infrastructure. In Nigeria, our growth was even more impressive, expanding by more than 360% in just two years from 3 million homes in 2015 to 11 million homes in 2018.

For the first time, we expanded our Satellite Monitor surveys to Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia in 2018, with the first two releasing their results in early June. “Expanding the Satellite Monitor study to five African countries is yet another indicator of our commitment to the region,” said Clint Brown, Vice President of Sales and Market Development for Africa at SES Video. 

In Uganda, our Satellite Monitor results revealed that our satellite broadcasting services access 2.6 million homes. Of this, 1.4 million are directly served by our satellite fleet and the remaining 1.2 million by our digital terrestrial television services. This means that, in total, SES is reaching 74% of Uganda’s TV viewers. “The study shows there is an open field for TV growth in Uganda,” added Brown, “and our goal is to support local industry players seizing those growth opportunities. With the advantage of reach, satellites are the ideal infrastructure for broadcasters to expand their audience in the country.”

Tanzania’s results demonstrated that 3.3 million homes receive their TV channels via SES’s satellite fleet, amounting to two-thirds of TV households in the country. The study also indicated that there is space for the Tanzanian broadcasting industry to expand, as 52% of homes do not have access to TV and 45% still receive their TV channels via terrestrial and cable networks.

Across the continent, SES reaches 30 million homes, but with our solid research, extensive expertise and advanced satellite knowledge, we are pleased that there is still room for growth.

For more information on the Satellite Monitor surveys conducted, or for more information on how SES Africa can help you with all of your broadcasting needs, contact us today to book a meeting with one of our specialists.