YouTube Premium's price increase for ad-free content hits Nigeria and South Africa
The new prices would take effect from your next billing cycle.
If you’re a YouTube Premium subscriber living in Nigeria and South Africa, you’ve probably enjoyed watching videos and listening to music without interruptions. But if you want to keep enjoying an ad-free experience, be prepared to pay more.
Why? Because, YouTube has raised the price of its Premium service across Nigeria and South Africa — and it’s a hefty increase.
Louis Eriakha
In an email sent to subscribers on April 4, YouTube announced that its Premium service in Nigeria would now cost ₦1,700 monthly — up from ₦1,100. The family plan saw an even bigger bump, from ₦1,700 to ₦2,800 — a 64% increase. South Africa didn’t escape either. Individual plans now cost R81.99 from R71.99, while the family plan jumped 36% from R109.99 to R149.99.
YouTube says the hike will help improve the service and support creators. However, this price increase comes at a time when streaming services, such as Netflix and Spotify, raised their basic subscription plans by 40% in July and October of last year, respectively.
It’s tempting to blame companies for chasing profit, but inflation, currency devaluation, and rising operational costs are doing much of the pushing. Since 2021, the naira has lost more than 60% of its value against the dollar according to a report from Bloomberg. The South African rand has also dropped about 27%. For global platforms that price in local currencies, this makes running services more expensive.
Louis Eriakha
Despite these hardships, though, YouTube’s business is booming. The platform hit over 100 million Premium subscribers globally in early 2024, per Statista, and in Nigeria alone, over 1500 YouTube channels now have more than 100,000 subscribers — reflecting both growing viewership and creator activity across Africa.
As YouTube and other streaming platforms continue to hike prices in response to inflation and economic shifts, African subscribers are feeling the brunt. While global giants like YouTube may promise better service and features, the growing cost of access in local currencies is becoming a reality for users across the continent.
With these price hikes, it’s clear that streaming services are adjusting to local economic pressures — and subscribers may need to reassess their priorities or adjust budgets to keep enjoying ad-free content.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
