Developing and marketing a product are like left and right feet. They both must work for the product to succeed, according to Ronald Ron Popeil, an American inventor and marketing personality, best known for his direct response marketing company, Ronco.
It appeared that Mr Popeil had MTN, Africa’s biggest telecoms service provider and its Ayoba in mind when he made the above short and concise aphorism some decades ago.
The company first hinted plans to launch the app in March 2019 at its financial results presentation for the year ended in December 2018.
The app was named after a campaign by MTN in South Africa to celebrate the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The word Ayoba is a South African slang, which means something “cool”, “okay”, or “all right”.
Nine years down the lane, MTN launched the instant messaging app using the name Ayoba, demonstrating that African users are the app target.
WONDERS OF AYOBA
With the Ayoba app which is currently available for free download on the Google Play Store and the official Ayoba website, it can be used without internet connection. So, it is unapparelled to its competing apps, according to industry experts.
Varied content
Also, Ayoba popularly referred as Africa’s super app is an advanced communications app localised for African consumer needs, under an independent Over the Top (OTT) brand with unique features for MTN customers.
The MTN Ayoba app, which was launched in May 2019, became available to users in Ghana in May 2020 and has so far provided exciting content for all users irrespective of their locations in the country.
Besides chatting for free via instant messaging, Ayoba offers access to an in-app music player which brings weekly updates on the latest African and international music.
Users can play a wide variety of free and exciting games ranging from action, adventure and children’s games as well as have access to one of the top global games-Subway Surfers.
It also has channels covering eight categories: news, sports, entertainment, health and fitness, fashion and beauty, education, and music.
The Black Star Channel, which is exclusive to Ghanaian content, gives access to local trends, news and exciting stories on music, fashion, food, politics, and lifestyle.
Many languages
Additionally, the world-class instant messaging app currently supports 22 local languages spoken across the MTN Africa and Middle East markets including isiZulu, isiXhosa, Pidgin, Yoruba, Swahili, Hausa, French and English.
More Ghanaian languages would also be added onto the platform soon, the Chief Digital Officer of MTN Ghana, Dario Bianchi revealed.
Increasing number of users
Furthermore, Ayoba has over 20 million users across Africa and over 5 million of its users are in Ghana.
Mr Bianchi added that there are over 40 micro apps on the MTN Ayoba with the majority built by local developers. This is aimed at boosting local content.
MoMo
Customers can use these micro-apps in Ayoba to perform Mobile Money (MoMo) transactions on the MoMo micro app, among others.
In the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic which claimed several lives in Ghana and across the world, MTN Ghana activated its MoMo service as part of its partnership agreement with the Ayoba messaging app to allow customers to transfer money to their friends and loved ones whiles chatting.
MTN customers on Ayoba initiate the transfer by clicking on the “attachment” option on the chat, select send Money, enter the amount, add a message and PIN and the money will be sent to the receiver right in the chat window.
The activation of the money transfer option of MoMo, creates more convenience for the customers as they do not have to leave the chat to initiate a transfer.
The activation of the MoMo feature for MTN subscribers on Ayoba according to officials contributes to deepening financial inclusion and further promote the use of digital options for financial transactions. This service is available to Ghana, Uganda, Congo and Cameroon.
The Ayoba platform is more than an app as it connects people on a value basis and leverages an African identity, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ayoba, Burak Akinci told journalists in his recent visit to Accra, Ghana.
WHAT USERS SAY
A cross section of Ayoba app users on the streets of Accra, described the app as “the real game-changer”.
Ekow Hayford, a business owner said: “I have been using the app for almost two months. I must say the app has connected me to exciting music and sports content for relaxation”.
Sadia Abu, a fashion and design student, added that she now conducts most of her online activities through the Ayoba super app.
“What baffles me is that the Ayoba is so easy to download”, another student said: “The app is easy to use by anybody”.
Bottom line
MTN, together with its partners, is driven to improve access to affordable communications to ensure that more people in its markets can reap the social, economic, and developmental dividends of being online.
Ayoba underscores this goal to bring more people into the digital world by providing them with affordable and simplified digital communication services.
Instructively, MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy is to drive digital and financial inclusion across Africa, via Ayoba the company intends to reach 100 million monthly active users by 2025.
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report
