E-Vision from e& and ADQ today signed an agreement to acquire a majority equity stake of around 57% in Starzplay Arabia.

The e&-led consortium will acquire a stake in Starzplay Arabia based on a post-money valuation of $420m. Starzplay Arabia and its parent company Lionsgate will maintain commercial agreements for content licensing to the venture. The transaction is still subject to regulatory approvals and certain administrative procedures.

“Starzplay Arabia is a leading video streaming platform in MENA. This acquisition is a major milestone for E-Vision and will be a catalyst for the newly formed e& life consumer digital vertical in e&. This investment further strengthens our service offering and significantly enhances Starzplay Arabia’s positioning across the entire MENA region,” Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of e& life and Chairman of E-Vision, said.

Starzplay Arabia has almost 2 million subscribers across 19 countries, this will enable the launch of new product lines, expand geographic reach and access to advanced technical capabilities. The acquisition provides potential for international expansion, leveraging the company’s reach across 20 global telcos.

With this joint investment, Starzplay Arabia can leverage media content delivered by both E-Vision and ADQ portfolio companies, further optimising its content acquisition spending. Additionally, the company will also gain significant scale through immediate access to e&’s vast customer base.