552
Channels (50 HD)
7
Prime orbital locations
192
Free-to-Air channels
200
Million customers served via 3 video neighborhoods
6
Cable and broadcast video neighborhoods
45M
Urban viewers
More Growth in More Countries
Africa is one of the fastest growing TV markets in the world. With a population of 1.2 billion people and counting, TV penetration in Africa is at 42%, with the potential to reach 58% of under-served people.* For distributors who can connect with these new audiences, the opportunities for future growth are huge.
Eastern Africa
25.4M
Africa Market Snapshot by TV Households
4.3M
Direct-to-Home Pay TV Households
18.5M
Direct-To-Home Free TV Households
Source: Dataxis Intelligence 2020
Southern Africa
25.5M
Africa Market Snapshot by TV Households
11.5M
Direct-to-Home Pay TV Households
12.2M
Direct-To-Home Free TV Households
Source: Dataxis Intelligence 2020
Central Africa
9.4M
Africa Market Snapshot by TV Households
2.5M
Direct-to-Home Pay TV Households
5.3M
Direct-To-Home Free TV Households
Source: Dataxis Intelligence 2020
Western Africa
39.9M
Africa Market Snapshot by TV Households
6.2M
Direct-to-Home Pay TV Households
3.5M
Direct-To-Home Free TV Households
Source: Dataxis Intelligence 2020
Eastern Africa
Southern Africa
Central Africa
Western Africa
More Insight into African Audiences
In 2022, Intelsat conducted a survey through GeoPoll, a research agency in Africa, to better understand the viewership habits of free-to-air (FTA) channels on IS-20.
People ages 15-34 are a key demographic to target, as they consume the most TV.
A large percentage of people watch TV outside of their homes, including restaurants and places of worship.
HD programming is a growing opportunity as most people are interested in higher quality.
Most people have a way to receive satellite TV including programming from FTA, Pay TV, or both.
Explore Audience Insights by Country
Get a more detailed snapshot with our Solution Overviews.
More Reach Means More Viewers
IS-20 is the most watched media location over Africa and already reaches nearly 45 million urban viewers in emerging markets such as Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Kenya.
Read the Tip Sheet for Satellite and Pay TV Trends in Africa
View the IS-20 infographic
Read the Tip Sheet for Satellite and Pay TV Trends in Africa
View the IS-20 infographic
How to Watch
Bring viewers more action, drama, news, sports, and more on IS-20! See how easy it is for customers to find and watch your content.
Watch the Video
Watch the Video
More Channels In Emerging Markets
Located at 68.5°E, IS-20 is the premier direct-to-home (DTH) video neighborhood in Africa. With strong, focalized Ku-band beams, IS-20 takes your content to virtually all of Sub-Saharan Africa.
