MTV Base Africa will permanently shut down on January 1, 2026, ending a twenty-year run as one of the continent’s leading music television channels, with the station scheduled to be removed from DStv and GOtv platforms as part of a wider move away from traditional TV.
According to parent company Paramount Global, the decision follows a sustained decline in linear television viewership among younger audiences across Africa, who now overwhelmingly prefer to consume music and entertainment content online and via streaming platforms rather than scheduled TV. The company noted that the resources once devoted to MTV Base Africa will increasingly be focused on digital and on-demand services targeted at the same demographic.
The shutdown marks the end of an era for a channel that helped shape the visual identity of African music, giving exposure to Afrobeats, hip hop, dancehall, and R&B acts from across the continent, while also serving as a launchpad for many presenters and VJs. Viewers on DStv and GOtv will lose access to the channel from the same date, with operators expected to adjust their music channel lineups and encourage subscribers to follow MTV and Paramount content through online platforms instead.
