Amazon Prime Video is discontinuing support for local originals in Africa and Middle East

Amazon Prime Video is said to be downsizing its Africa and Middle East operations in a move that will affect teams in the two regions; according to a Variety  after it signed multi-year licensing agreements with production companies and set up teams in Nigeria and South Africa.

It’s interesting to note that Amazon Prime Video entered the African market in 2016 as part of its global expansion to over 200 countries, presenting substantial competition to Netflix’s simultaneous global launch. Until about 18 months ago, the service in the region lacked local-language interfaces, subtitling, and original content offerings commonly found in more developed markets. Launching the localized version in Nigeria marked a significant step in catering to the preferences and expectations of the African audience.

As Africa’s third-largest video streaming platform, Amazon Prime Video aimed to strengthen its subscriber base in emerging markets by launching localized plans. While similar plans were introduced in South Africa, the platform had not commissioned any original content in the Middle East. The strategy included increased investment in local production, unveiling slates of localized originals, and offering discounted Amazon Prime memberships to customers.

The platform’s foray into Africa for original and licensed content garnered attention and success, with movies such as “Breath of Life” and Jade Osiberu’s “Gangs of Lagos” achieving critical acclaim and commercial success, respectively. At its peak, Prime Video had over 600,000 subscribers in Africa, according to Digital TV Research, with plans to add 1.5 million new subscribers over the next four years.

Prime Video’s withdrawal from producing local content leaves a significant void in the streaming landscape, where competing platforms are vying for Africa’s

Based on reporting by techcrunch.com.