Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN), the country’s largest mobile operator by subscriber base, is building a robust distribution platform to enable the vast majority of Nigerians access locally-relevant mobile software applications at zero data cost.
BusinessDay had exclusively reported that local app developers were struggling to generate revenue due to the massive difficulties experienced by prospective users in discovering their innovative solutions in the deluge of global content available in the most popular distribution platforms like App store, Blackberry World, Google Play, and Windows store.
In view of this, MTN says it is opening up its network, with over 60 million mobile subscribers to the local software applications development community, as part of its one-week apps awareness campaign strategically designed to support free software application downloads.
Speaking at the MTN APPtitude Conference held in Lagos, weekend, Adebayo Adekanmbi, chief marketing officer, MTN, said the rationale behind the initiative is to get more apps in the hands of Nigerians.
“We have organised all Nigerian-centric apps in a portal and through our special gateway Nigerians can access digital content at no cost. We are making it open for all developers in the country to join MTN by bringing the APK for their apps so that we can put it in the hands of Nigerians,” said Adekanmbi.
Market observers say that Nigerians have indeed succeeded in building problem-solving and life-enhancing mobile apps. Some of the prevailing concerns being addressed by these apps include: traffic, healthcare, education, transportation, e-commerce, tourism and hospitality related issues, among many others.
According to them, the huge strides being recorded in mobile applications development is going unnoticed because Nigerians are unable to quickly find relevant apps, without the distractions of applications that are only useful to people in North America and Europe. “Every Nigerian can now download any app relevant to them free of charge for the next month,” Adekanmbi added.
The MTN CMO said that the company would also assist Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) convert their websites into apps. According to him, there is an urgent need to simplify access in order to grow uptake and consumption of digital services. “99 percent of Nigerian- centric websites have long URLs (Uniform Resource Identifier), which are difficult to remember, hence, customers hardly visit these pages more than once,” he further explained.
Through the new initiative, Adekanmbi said the company is playing a critical in democratising the internet as it looks to allow the generality of the Nigerian populace access relevant digital content.
Femi Longe, co-founder, Co-Creation Hub (CC-HUB), a social innovation centre dedicated to accelerating the application of social capital and technology for economic prosperity, has challenged local developers to build apps that fits in seamlessly with the daily lives of Nigerians.
Speaking with BusinessDay, Longe said, “When i look at how i consume apps, I consume things that are necessary to get my everyday work done. One the apps I use a lot is the GTBank app. I don’t need a platform to get the app because it is relevant to my daily life.”
According to him, developers need to start thinking local instead of duplicating foreign apps. “They need to build apps that are relevant within the context of Nigeria,” he added.
Today, there are a multiplicity of apps that have been developed for the convenience of Nigerians. Apps like BudgIT, Traclist, Efiko, Jobs In Nigeria, Genii Games, Nigeria News, Easy Taxi, Ready Cash, Mobile Money, Nigerian Movies and Nigerian Constitution are gaining significant traction in terms of usage and adoption in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy by GDP.
Moreover, the mobile software applications industry will be worth US$25 billion this year, according to MarketsandMarkets, a global market research company. While the annual compound growth rate was 29.9 percent between 2009 and 2014, this figure is however expected to rise as emerging markets like Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, create access for millions of people to be connected to the internet and join the race to launch relevant, locally developed apps.
Ben Uzor
