MTN’s Ayoba super app is strengthening its business-to-business (B2B) strategy to add more commercial services to its platform, in efforts to help local businesses improve their customer engagement channels.
Since its launch in May 2019, Ayoba has reached millions of users across the African continent, with its customer base growing at almost 30% year-on-year, to garner 36 million active users who are based beyond MTN’s traditional operating markets.
In SA, the app has grown to reach 1.5 million active monthly users, with over 150 services offered via third-parties.
Initially developed as an instant messaging app, Ayoba has over the years evolved to become a multi-faceted entertainment app, with music, games, mobile money, micro-apps, education, podcasts and short-form video content.
During an interview with ITWeb TV, Sipho Mothobi, head of product at Ayoba, noted the surge in users can be largely attributed to the platform’s upgraded communication features, which have driven higher adoption and retention rates.
The app is now strengthening its focus on launching commercial features to include the introduction of business accounts, a suite of business-oriented features and a communications API, with new payment partners and improvements to its partner portal, he said.
“Among our newly-introduced in-app B2B offerings is Connect API, which is targeted at medium to large businesses that are looking to connect with their customers, scale engagement and drive better customer support.
“For businesses that are looking at using it as an engagement platform with their customers, the chatbot service would be a good option. Some of the businesses we recently on-boarded include those in the e-health and logistics sectors, with others in the pipeline. We are also offering a ‘boost my services or boost my brand’ service.
“Other offerings include the option of launching a business micro-app on the Ayoba platform, as a way for businesses to market themselves, leveraging the supper app’s high user numbers.”
Keeping it local
A super app, also described as a digital mall, is a mobile application that provides umbrella services – a trend that gained momentum in the past four years, accelerated by more people taking to online channels, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discussing trends shaping super apps across Africa, he pointed to the growing internet and smartphone penetration, rising digital payment and localisation of services − offering content customised to specific market requirements.
“Across the continent, the telco super apps are probably playing a bigger role than other types of apps. Since inception, we have evolved to add a variety of services and partner with a lot of service providers.
“While there are global super apps, such as WeChat, that are trying to influence how local users see the world, we saw an opportunity that will allow us to create experiences that speak to the local context.
“So, if you are in South Africa, we want to make sure the user experiences the app as if it is a South African app − localisation is key. This means we have to partner with local businesses, local content creators and music curators to make sure even the music we add is locally-based,” added Mothobi.
The app is on a continuous journey of innovation, with plans to add more services targeting consumers and businesses in the new year, he noted.
“On the African continent, super apps are set up differently to reflect the diversity of the nations. Even the transition to super apps is quite diverse; for example, we have super apps that are driven by financial services and super apps that are driven by logistics.
“The aim is to bring other financial services onto Ayoba, including MTN’s MoMo app, as part of our fintech offering, as we further diversify our services to ensure we increase our market share.”
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