Kirusa, a telecom and social media solutions company has launched myGenie, a revolutionary free airtime App for prepaid Android users in Nigeria.
According to the company, the myGenie app lets Android users explore and download new and popular Android apps. The users are then rewarded with up to N50 free airtime credits for downloading, installing, and using each of these Android apps.
They can use the free credits to recharge their mobile numbers, or gift the airtime credits to their friends and family. What’s more, myGenie also provides free airtime credits when a user invites their friends to the app, and when their friends start downloading apps via myGenie.
Speaking at the launch, Robert Masumbuko, Head Financial Inclusion of African Development Bank said, “We are excited about myGenie App being launched in Nigeria.
“African mobile app developers will now have the opportunity to reach out to a wider audience and get assured usage of their apps. It will also influence app usage market, thereby opening doors for fresh investments in this sector,” he said.
Also speaking, Anyanwu Jonnas Obinna, Head of Content Partnership in TwinPine said, “myGenie is a disruptive innovation in the mobile advertising space. We hope that it will carve out a new market for the App developers and support them in reaching their customers in more efficient ways than before.”
Inderpal Mumick, Founder and Chairman of Kirusa told BusinessDay that the myGenie app is an intuitive offering with a natural, seamless user Interface that imparts a smooth experience to Android users.
“The apps available are mobile applications that are useful and specific to the Nigerian users. We have launched this platform in India already and it has been very successful with over a million downloads.
“It is also good to know that credit gained for downloading, using and keeping the app can be used on any of the four major telecommunications networks in Nigeria.
“Smartphone users will always download app so it just makes it more rewarding that they have something to gain from downloading important app for free,” he said.
When asked how the company makes its money since users can download the apps for free, Mumick said that the app developers would pay a certain amount of money for their apps to be featured on the platform.
“The amount of money paid depends on how long they want their apps to be on the platform. Everyday, we’ll have new apps up,” he said.
“The app is available to download from Google Play store. It is currently available to Android mobile users in Nigeria and will be extended to other African countries soon,” he added.
David Kruyt, App Owner, 474Recharge App, said, “myGenie is an altogether new way of promoting the app developer community. It is a simple way to reach out and get the app campaigns organized. The most exciting part is that myGenie helps in usage and retention of the apps by incentivizing customers in Nigeria, making it a win-win for both app developers and customers.”
The apps that can be downloaded through myGenie range from games to dating to local utility apps. Some of the apps available on myGenie at the time of launch include InstaVoice, 474Recharge, Zamba Caller, APUS Launcher, Super B Clearer, BBM, UC Browser, and more.
According to Mumick; “Our vision is to grow the mobile ecosystem, and to fuel entrepreneurship in Nigeria, by creating a platform for the local app developers to reach out to their customers in a seamless manner, by assisting them in their app promotion efforts.”
JUMOKE AKIYODE
