Amazon Prime Video Reallocates Resources from Africa & Middle East to Europe
Amazon Prime Video is scaling back its original content production in Africa and the Middle East, opting to concentrate its efforts on European markets instead. This strategic shift, first reported by Deadline, will result in operational changes for regional teams while allowing previously approved shows to proceed as planned.
Key Changes in Prime Video’s Global Strategy
- Discontinuation of New Originals: Prime Video will no longer commission original content in African and Middle Eastern markets.
- European Market Restructuring: The European team will split into two specialized groups:
- EU Established: Focused on major markets (UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain)
- EU Emerging: Covering Benelux, Nordics, and Central/Eastern Europe
Barry Furlong, Prime Video Europe VP, explained the rationale in an internal email obtained by Variety:
“We’re rebalancing our resources to prioritize areas with the highest impact and long-term success. These operational changes will create a more agile, focused business model for our multi-territory operations.”
A Sudden Strategic Reversal
This decision marks a dramatic shift from Prime Video’s recent African expansion strategy. Just months ago, the platform aimed to become Africa’s leading streaming service, having:
- Established local teams in Nigeria and South Africa
- Signed multi-year licensing deals with African production companies
- Launched localized services in Nigeria in August 2022
Prime Video’s African Legacy
Since entering Africa in 2016 (coinciding with Netflix’s global launch), Prime Video made significant strides:
- Localization Efforts: Added native-language interfaces and subtitles
- Content Success: Produced acclaimed originals like “Gangs of Lagos” and “Breath of Life”
- Market Position: Became Africa’s third-largest streaming platform with 600,000+ subscribers (per Digital TV Research)
Implications for Africa’s Streaming Landscape
Prime Video’s retreat creates opportunities for compe*****s in Africa’s growing VOD market, projected to reach 15 million subscribers by 2026. Platforms like Showmax, Netflix, and Canal+ may gain market share by doubling down on local content production.
Correction: An earlier version misattributed the initial report; Deadline first broke this news.
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