Last updated: 9 October 2026. Frequencies checked against LyngSat and KingOfSat listings.
Quick answer: most satellite TV in Africa comes from five orbital positions. Nilesat at 7.0° West carries hundreds of free-to-air Arabic and international channels. Astra 2F at 28.2° East carries Ghana’s free Multi TV bouquet. Intelsat 20 at 68.5° East carries DStv South Africa and OpenView. Eutelsat’s 36° East slot carries DStv across the rest of the continent, and Hotbird at 13° East carries mainly European channels.
This page lists the headline frequency for each, explains the difference between free-to-air and pay-TV, and shows how to scan for channels. Each satellite links to a full guide with complete channel lists.
Satellite TV frequency list for Africa (2026)
| Satellite and position | Main services | Headline frequency | Access | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nilesat 201 / 301, 7.0°W | Egyptian, Arabic and international channels | 11785 V, SR 27500, FEC 5/6 | Mostly free-to-air | Nilesat frequencies |
| Astra 2F, 28.2°E | Multi TV (Ghana) | 12525 V, SR 30000, FEC 5/6 | Free-to-air | Multi TV frequencies |
| Intelsat 20, 68.5°E | OpenView, DStv South Africa | OpenView: 11170 V, SR 28750, FEC 5/6 | Free with an OpenView decoder; DStv by subscription | OpenView, DStv |
| Eutelsat 36D / 36C, 36°E | DStv outside South Africa | Locked to DStv decoders | Subscription | DStv packages |
| Hotbird, 13°E | Mainly European channels | Varies by channel | Mixed free and encrypted | No guide yet |
SR is the symbol rate and FEC the error-correction setting, which some receivers ask for when you add a transponder by hand. V means vertical polarisation and H horizontal. Frequencies change when broadcasters move transponders, so if a channel disappears, rescan before assuming it has closed.
Free-to-air vs pay-TV satellite services
African satellite TV falls into three groups, and the group decides what equipment you need.
- Free-to-air (FTA): unencrypted channels that any standard satellite receiver can pick up, with no subscription. Nilesat and Multi TV are the best-known examples. Read what free-to-air means.
- Free with a dedicated decoder: no monthly fee, but the signal is encrypted, so only the operator’s own decoder works. OpenView in South Africa works this way.
- Pay-TV: encrypted channels that need a subscription and the operator’s decoder. DStv and StarSat are the main satellite pay-TV services.
| Service | Type | Where | Satellite |
|---|---|---|---|
| DStv | Pay-TV, satellite and streaming | 50+ African markets | Intelsat 20 (South Africa); Eutelsat 36°E (rest of Africa) |
| StarSat | Pay-TV | South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and more | Operator decoder |
| OpenView | Free, with own decoder | South Africa | Intelsat 20, 68.5°E |
| Multi TV | Free-to-air | Ghana and West Africa | Astra 2F, 28.2°E |
| Nilesat | Free-to-air | North and East Africa, Middle East | Nilesat 201 / 301, 7.0°W |
Pay-TV decoders are locked to their own bouquet. A DStv decoder will not show free-to-air channels from other satellites, and an OpenView decoder will not show other channels on Intelsat 20. To watch free-to-air channels you need a standard DVB-S2 receiver. There are still ways to watch free channels on DStv within its own bouquet.
How to scan for free-to-air channels
The steps are the same on most DVB-S2 receivers. Menu names vary by brand.
- Point the dish at the satellite’s orbital position. A satellite-finder app or signal meter helps with the direction and angle.
- Open the antenna or satellite setup menu and select the satellite. If it is not listed, add it by its orbital position.
- Set the LNB. For a standard universal Ku-band LNB, use 9750 MHz for the low band and 10600 MHz for the high band.
- Add the transponder using the frequency, polarisation and symbol rate from the table above.
- Run the scan. Choose a free-only scan to skip encrypted channels, or a blind scan to find every active transponder.
Entering a wrong frequency will not harm the receiver; it simply finds nothing. See can I damage my decoder by entering FTA frequencies. For anything beyond a simple rescan, especially moving a dish to a new satellite, a professional installer is the safer option.
Which satellite for your region
North Africa
Nilesat at 7.0°W dominates, with hundreds of free Arabic and international channels. Middle Eastern services reach the region easily, and DStv has little presence.
West Africa
In Ghana, Multi TV on Astra 2F at 28.2°E is the main free option, carrying Ghanaian national and private channels. DStv is the main pay-TV service in anglophone countries, while French-language broadcasters lead in francophone markets.
East Africa
Nilesat reaches East Africa, and Nilesat frequencies are among the most searched satellite settings in Ethiopia and Uganda. DStv and StarSat cover the pay-TV market.
Southern Africa
Intelsat 20 at 68.5°E is the key satellite in South Africa. It carries both DStv and OpenView, so one dish serves either. OpenView is free after buying its decoder; DStv needs a subscription.
Frequently asked questions
Is satellite TV free in Africa?
Some of it is. Nilesat and Multi TV channels are free-to-air and need only a dish and a standard receiver. OpenView has no monthly fee but needs its own decoder. DStv and StarSat need a paid subscription.
Can I use my DStv dish for free channels?
In South Africa, yes: OpenView uses the same Intelsat 20 satellite as DStv, so an OpenView decoder works on an existing DStv dish. For free-to-air channels on other satellites, the dish must be repointed and you need a standard receiver.
Why did my channels disappear?
Broadcasters move channels between transponders and occasionally between satellites. Run a fresh scan with the current frequency from the table above before assuming a channel has closed.