Ayoba, the African instant messaging app, has achieved a milestone with over 30 million monthly active users (MAUs).
NAIROBI, KENYA | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Ayoba, the African instant messaging app developed through a partnership between digital company Simfy Africa and telco MTN, has achieved over 30 million monthly active users (MAUs).
The platform offers users more than just messaging, with access to music, daily news updates, and various content.
We’ve got great news! We've just hit an epic milestone of 30 million monthly active users. We’re grateful for the trust and engagement from our users across Africa.
Huge thanks to all our loyal users, our team and our partner MTN.#MadeInAfricaForTheWorld #ayoba pic.twitter.com/W71nPvaZaC
— ayoba_me (@ayoba_me) September 13, 2023
Territorial Expansion and Future Goals
Ayoba has gained popularity in key territories, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, and expanded into new markets like Kenya and Tanzania.
The app aims to reach 100 million MAUs by 2025, aligning with MTN’s Ambition 2025 strategy.
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MTN’s Perspective
MTN group chief operating officer Jens Schulte-Bockum highlights Ayoba’s growth as a testament to its commitment to providing user-focused services. The platform’s expanding user base signifies trust and reliance on Ayoba, driving further innovation to meet user needs.
“Ayoba’s growth reflects our commitment to delivering valuable, user-focused services,” MTN group’s Jens Schulte-Bockum said.
“This achievement is a significant step in our ongoing journey to deepen connectivity and digital inclusion across Africa and signifies the trust and reliance users have placed in Ayoba as a platform that enriches their daily lives. It also serves as a catalyst for further innovation as we continue to enhance the app’s features to meet the diverse needs of our growing user base.”
Focus on Communication and Content
In 2023, Ayoba concentrated on improving communication and content features. This resulted in significant increases in music streaming, messaging, and user retention.
The platform’s channels vertical, focusing on news, sports, and comedy, received over 200 million views this year.
It recently announced its first commissioned video drama series, “Nite Nite,” produced in Ghana, and African games produced by Usiku Games in Kenya.
CEO’s Perspective
Ayoba CEO Burak Akinci expresses gratitude for the community’s trust and engagement.
The platform’s strategy focuses on user-centric features and localized content. Upcoming plans include enhancing the gaming experience, starting with a pilot in South Africa, and making Ayoba an integral part of daily life across the continent.
“Our plan for the year is rolling out strongly. We are incredibly grateful for the trust and engagement from our growing community of users. Our strategic execution this year has been laser-focused on what matters most to them. The positive market response validates our approach to offer user-centric features and localised content. As we look ahead, our immediate focus is on an enhanced gaming experience set to pilot in South Africa. This is part of our broader vision to make Ayoba an integral part of daily life across the continent.” CEO Burak Akinci said.
Enhancements and Initiatives
Ayoba introduced the ‘Explore’ landing page, streamlining content discovery and user access to relevant and trending content on the Android version of the app.
Support for Small Businesses
The Ayoba SME Accelerator initiative in Nigeria seeks to digitize, empower, and accelerate small businesses’ growth, fostering innovation and sustainable employment.
Supporting Start-ups
Ayoba’s e-Track Portfolio, managed at the University of Cape Town’s Solution Space, has seen success, with 15 additional high-impact start-ups added to the program.
Promoting Innovation
Ayoba hosted its first continent-wide gaming hackathon in May to promote innovation and creativity, with plans to feature the top three teams’ games on the app, expanding its game selection.
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