LOS ANGELES: Netflix Inc. on Monday began offering a free mobile plan with about one-quarter of its TV shows and movies in Kenya, a strategy aimed at sparking growth in a key African market, the company told Reuters.
The free plan is available on Android mobile phones and will not have ads. It features Netflix movies and TV shows such as dramas “Money Heist” and “Bridgerton” and African series “Blood & Water,” plus some of the programming the company licenses from others. Netflix hopes the free plan will lead to users signing up for a paid option with more content.
The world’s largest streaming video service is looking to add customers outside of more saturated markets such as the United States, where new subscriber signups have slowed at a time when competition for online audiences has intensified.
Executives remain bullish on the long-term future, noting there are large markets where streaming television is just starting to take hold. To attract customers in Africa, Netflix is investing in locally made programming such as “Queen Sono” and “Jiva!” and has partnered with production studios in Nigeria.
“If you’ve never watched Netflix before — and many people in Kenya haven’t — this is a great way to experience our service,” Cathy Conk, director of product innovation at Netflix, said in a blog post. “And if you like what you see, it’s easy to upgrade to one of our paid plans so you can enjoy our full catalog on your TV or laptop as well.”
The free plan started on Monday and will roll out across Kenya in the coming days.
The non-paying Netflix subscribers in Kenya will not be counted in the paid total the company reports each quarter, a spokesperson said.
Netflix has experimented with free offers before. In 2020, it made some episodes of series such as “Stranger Things” and movies including “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” available around the world for no charge via web browsers.
The free plan in Kenya is broader. It will look similar to paid Netflix profiles to give viewers a feel for the service, the spokesperson said. Shows that are not included in the free plan will be marked with a lock icon. Clicking on one of those titles will encourage the user sign up for a paid option.
Anyone 18 or older in Kenya can enroll in the free plan and create up to five profiles. No payment information will be required.
Some functions, such as the ability to download a show or movie, will not be available under the free plan.
Netflix, which streams in more than 190 countries, has taken other steps to boost usage in Africa, including creation of a paid mobile-only plan and partnerships with local telecom operators to ease payments.
The company reported 209 million paying customers worldwide at the end of June. New member pickups slowed in the first half of 2021 after a boom early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Africa currently is a relatively small market for streaming TV subscriptions. Digital TV Research projects Netflix will lead subscription video on demand services on the continent with 6.26 million paying customers in 2026, followed by Walt Disney Co’s Disney+.
Netflix offers free plan in Kenya to entice new subscribers
https://arab.news/8t46p
Netflix offers free plan in Kenya to entice new subscribers
- Netflix offers free mobile plan with one-quarter of its TV shows and movies in Kenya to increase frowth
- The free plan is available on Android mobile phones and will not have ads
Independent Arabia celebrates 7th anniversary with global journalism awards
- Journalist Aya Mansour received the Kurt Schork International Journalism Award for her rigorous investigative reporting from Iraq on highly sensitive issues
- ‘SRMG’s support enabled us to reach and connect with massive readership – These awards belong to every journalist:’ Editor-in-Chief Ahdwan Al-Ahmari
LONDON: Independent Arabia on Saturday marked seven years since its launch as a platform for “distinctive content and a bold editorial vision,” having made history as the first Arabic digital outlet to secure licensing rights from an international publication, London-based newspaper The Independent.
Over this seven-year period, the news platform has established itself as a meaningful force within Arab media institutions through political, economic, cultural, and lifestyle coverage that reimagines news delivery and journalistic purpose. By innovating content presentation and format, it has tangibly contributed to reshaping Arabic digital journalism’s landscape.
Recalling the 2019 founding, Editor-in-Chief Ahdwan Al-Ahmari said: “Our fundamental objective was connecting with the widest possible Arab readership. SRMG’s backing enabled us to achieve substantial audience reach through correspondents positioned throughout the Arab region and internationally.”
Since its launch, Independent Arabia has won 11 awards. Its latest came in January 2025 when staff journalist Aya Mansour received the 24th Kurt Schork International Journalism Award in the Local Reporter category for her rigorous investigative reporting from Iraq on highly sensitive issues.
Al-Ahmari dedicated the accolade to every Independent Arabia journalist and media professionals across the Arab world, “particularly our colleagues lost in Yemen and Palestine. I specifically honor Maryam Abu Daqqa, our journalist colleague killed while documenting Gaza’s reality through photography—posthumously recognized at the highest level in Vienna by the International Press Institute with the ‘World Press Freedom Hero’ award.”
“Our initial tagline was ‘Independent Enriches You,’” Al-Ahmari recalled. “As our understanding matured, we recognized that ‘we lie in the details’—prompting the change. Within news media, particularly across SRMG’s distinguished portfolio, integrated coverage matters most. The real competitive edge comes from delivering analytical depth unique to each publication.”
Observing this seventh anniversary milestone, Al-Ahmari expressed appreciation for “everyone contributing publicly and behind the scenes—designers, correspondents, editors, administrative teams—every individual whose dedication keeps us leading the field.”
