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    Social media prompts smartphone adoption in Nigeria

    LAGOS, Nigeria - Nigeria's mobile trends are highlighted in a report by Jumia Nigeria on key industry patterns, ahead of the start of Mobile Week. Smartphone use is up, driven by more Nigerians accessing social media sites; as well as the availability of cheaper smartphone brands from Asia.
    Jumia report launch.
    Jumia report launch.

    A recent report on the Nigerian Mobile Sector by Africa’s leading e-commerce company Jumia, has revealed an 11% increase in the number of Nigerians who visited the Jumia website via their mobile phones - 79% in 2017 versus 71% in 2016. Meanwhile, those who used their desktop computers or laptops dipped to 18% in 2017 compared with 29% in 2016.

    The report also shows that in 2017, 70% of Nigerians preferred the cash on delivery option, compared to 28% and 12% for credit/debit cards and mobile money options respectively.

    Speaking at the launch of the Mobile Report in Lagos, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, Juliet Anammah, described the upward shift from desktop to mobile as a positive development.

    She attributed the increase in the number of mobile phone users to the multiplicity of affordable smartphones, especially the Asian mobile brands which continue to build on their Africa-specific strategy, by introducing lower price point smartphones adapted to the profiles of African users.

    Anammah also listed a growing market for second-hand devices and the increasing use of social media sites (active social media users) as contributing factors.

    Mobile-first country

    Anammah further hinted that “the mobile industry continues to play an increasingly important role in the socio-economic development of the African region”. Nigeria is swiftly becoming a mobile-first country, with mobile phone penetration currently at 84% of the population.

    “Jumia is doing its bit to close the gap, with sales initiatives such as Jumia Mobile Week,” she said.

    This year, the stage is set once again for the biggest sale of mobile phones, beginning March 19-25. This is a mobile-phone-only one-week-long sales event dedicated to opening up Jumia customers to a wide range of mobile devices at half the normal prices. “We believe that, by end of 2018, at least every Nigerian will have access to a mobile phone,” added Anammah.

    Also commenting, the chief transformation officer of MTN Nigeria, Olubayo Adekambi, identified “the expansion of e-commerce into a dual business model that blends the physical and the digital, to create an ecosystem between brands and consumers across the two worlds”, as among the major factors fueling the increase in adoption of smartphones.

    In order to ensure rural dwellers have increased access to ICT devices such as smartphones, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has created an IT Innovation hub, which has the capacity to produce e-literate groups from low skilled or low paid workers, unemployed people, and those with disabilities who do not have access to these ICTs.

    “NITDA has seen in ICT the potential to change new and old forms of economic activity. We’ve created e-learning centres to further enrich the rural communities’ quest for learning and for continuous after-school reading and learning by both the students and teachers, among other initiatives,” noted the Government’s agency director general, Dr Isa Ali Pantami.

    The 2018 Mobile Report launch also had other Telecom and IT experts in attendance; as well as a host of Jumia brand partners. Find the Mobile Report here.

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