Marodi and Canal+ are currently working to set up an original slate of programming for a Canal+ channel in Pulaar, the language spoken by the Fulani community of Senegal, Guinea and Mali.
Canal+ Group has solidified its presence in the African creative landscape with the acquisition of a stake in Marodi TV, a prominent Senegalese production company renowned for its television series across the continent.
This move marks the latest development in the ongoing partnership between Canal+ and Marodi, further bolstering the Paris-based company’s position in French-speaking Africa. Canal+ already boasts an extensive African content portfolio, producing more than 4,000 hours of content and maintaining 30 channels dedicated to the continent across 10 languages.
For the past five years, Marodi TV has contributed its catalogue to Canal+ Group’s channel lineup, showcasing exclusive series on channels like Sunu Yeuf in Wolof and the pan-African channel A+, reaching Canal+’s 8m subscribers in Africa. Collaborations between Marodi TV and Canal+ have yielded successful series such as Emprises and Déchéances.
Founded in 2012 with the mission of delivering high-quality African content across all media platforms, Marodi TV boasts a catalogue of over 600 hours of content and a YouTube community of 6m subscribers. Notable series include Pod & Marichou, Maitresse d’un homme marié (Mistress of a Married Man), and Karma.
With Canal+ Group onboard as a new shareholder, Marodi TV will continue under the leadership of its founder and majority shareholder, Senegalese entrepreneur Serigne Massamba Ndour. The partnership aims to expand the distribution of Marodi TV’s library across Africa and beyond, leveraging synergies with Canal+. Additionally, they plan to develop an original catalogue for Canal+’s upcoming channel in Pulaar, catering to the Fulani community prevalent in Senegal, Guinea, and Mali.
Canal+ Group already holds majority stakes in other African production companies such as Rok Studios in Nigeria, Plan A in Ivory Coast, and Zacu Entertainment in Rwanda.
Fabrice Faux, director of channels and content at Canal+ International, said: “Based in Senegal, this producer benefits from an artistic, technical, linguistic, and climatic environment that is particularly conducive to audiovisual production. This investment again demonstrates our enduring commitment to growing Africa’s creative industries and our excitement and commercial optimism in its creative and media sectors.”
Serigne Massamba Ndour, CEO, Marodi TV, added: “I am delighted to have reached the end of this process with Canal+, a strategic partner with whom we have already been working for five years. This alliance will enable us to strengthen our production and broadcasting capabilities and export our model across the continent.”
