Telecom
You Can Digitally Supercharge Yourself as an Entrepreneur: Here’s How
By Stephen Newton, Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Ad Dynamo by Aleph
There is no doubt that Africa is an entrepreneurial continent. As far back as 2017, an African Development Bank report found that the continent had the highest rates of entrepreneurship among working-age adults in the world at 22%. Despite the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, things have hardly slowed down in recent years. A report from McKinsey, for example, found that the number of African tech startups tripled between 2020 and 2021.
Stephen Newton, Managing Director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Ad Dynamo by Aleph
Nigeria and Ghana’s West African economic powerhouses are no exception to that economic fervour. World Bank data shows that 97,988 new businesses were registered in Nigeria in 2020, and in Ghana (with a population about a sixth as big as Nigeria’s) 18000 new businesses were forecast to be started in 2022.
Those businesses will, of course, be crucial to the region’s ongoing economic growth. But if you’re one of the entrepreneurs behind those businesses, you’ll know that success is far from guaranteed. That makes it critical that you do everything possible to ensure your business is primed for growth. And one of the most effective ways of doing so is to embrace digital marketing and that you get it right from day one.
Digital is still growing in importance, for everyone
That’s especially true when you consider how rapidly internet and smartphone penetration has grown in the region in recent years. Research suggests that there are more than 155 million internet users in Nigeria, representing 55.4% of the population and just under 17 million users in Ghana, representing 53% of the population. And as more and more undersea cables land on the continent, making internet access more affordable and ubiquitous, those numbers will keep growing.
The same is true of smartphones. According to Statista, smartphone penetration in Nigeria grew 10% between 2019 and 2022, hitting just over 37%, and is set to grow another 10% by 2027. While it’s difficult to find equivalent numbers for Ghana, it’s worth noting that nearly 100% of internet users there have a smartphone.
In other words, a sizable portion of any Nigerian or Ghanaian business’s customers are already online and an even more considerable portion will be in the very near future. So in order to reach them, that business has to be online too.
Of course, many early-stage entrepreneurs, in particular, either need help figuring out where to start with digital marketing or feel like they can’t afford it. Those barriers do not, however, have to be challenging to overcome.
As Gaston Taratuta, Founder and CEO of Aleph Group, Inc points out, you can build up digital marketing expertise relatively quickly.
“To become an expert in digital marketing, you have to be curious and certify yourself on digital platforms for free,” he says. “Learn things like Google Adwords; learn to do marketing on different social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. This can be achieved in more or less six months, and you can then put what you have learned into practice.”
As he further points out, building this expertise is already key to thriving as an entrepreneur and will be even more important in the near future.
Additionally, digital marketing is one of the most effective ways for any business to build awareness and engagement with both existing and potential customers. It’s also more targeted, meaning you can get a greater return on investment.
Using the right partner
As important as it is for entrepreneurs to understand the effectiveness of digital marketing and at least have a basic grasp of how to use them, it’s also important to remember that they don’t have to do it alone.
The right media buying partner will help ensure that they’re on the right platforms and are reaching their intended customer bases. They’ll also understand that a business doesn’t always have a major marketing budget and will get it started advertising with relatively small amounts, keeping costs to a predefined frame. Many partners that Aleph is working with additionally offer ‘trial’ budgets at lower minimum costs to allow new advertisers to give it a go and see if they gain value from it. Remember, if they see the same potential in a business as an entrepreneur, they’ll want to grow with it.
No reason to wait
Ultimately, it should be clear that African entrepreneurs can supercharge their growth journeys by embracing digital marketing. Moreover, they can get to grips with it relatively quickly and can affordably get help in maximising their digital marketing efforts.
The 2023 Subscriber/Network Performance Report of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has shown that consumers’ telecommunication spending hit N5.30 trillion in 2023.
The recent figure is a 37.54 percent increase from the N3.86 trillion recorded in 2022.
According to NCC, the increase in spending was fuelled by a spike in data consumption, which translated to higher revenues for telecom operators including mobile network operators, fixed wired, internet service providers, and other telecom services.
“The total volume of data consumed by subscribers increased to 713,200.62TB as of December 2023 from 518,381.78TB as of December 2022. This represents an increase of 37.58 percent in data consumption within the period. The increased data consumption is indicative of the increasing appetite and use for data by consumers,” the NCC said.
This increase in data consumption coincides with only a margin increase in voice calls, with total outgoing calls hitting 205.29 billion minutes, a 0.59 percent increase from the 204.09 billion minutes recorded in 2022.
The total number of active subscriptions increased from 222.57 million in 2022 to 224.71 million, attributed to subscriber loyalty, promos, aggressive consumer acquisition drive, and competitive product offerings across all the networks.
NCC stated that internet subscribers increased from 154.85 million in 2022 to 163.84 million in 2023, and broadband penetration declined from 47.36 percent to 43.71 percent.
This growth in internet consumption has continued into 2024, thanks to increased streaming services and smartphone penetration.
It would be recalled that Karl Toriola, chief executive officer of MTN Nigeria, recently noted that telecom companies are set to benefit from increased demand for data services, which has become the primary driver of telecom revenue.
Between January and September 2024, MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria reported combined data revenues of N1.63 trillion, up from N254.32 billion in the same period of 2019. Over this time, voice revenues—once the primary income source for telcos—grew by only 70.74 percent to N1.44 trillion.
Data usage per user has grown, with MTNN reporting that its average data usage per user rose to 11.3GB in September 2024 from 7.8GB in March 2023.
For Airtel Nigeria, monthly usage increased from 2.8GB in March 2021 to 8.1GB in September 2024.
“We are positioning ourselves to capture the opportunities of growth for the next 10 years. The demand for data in Nigeria is exceptional and will continue to grow,” Toriola stated.
Globacom’s Festival of Joy promo took the centre stage in Abuja on Friday as the company held a draw to select lucky winners of exciting prizes.
The event, held at the Gloworld office on Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse, was witnessed by officials of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Glo subscribers, and media representatives.
This draw marks another milestone in the Festival of Joy promo, which has been rewarding subscribers across Nigeria since its launch in October 2024.
Lucky winners in Abuja will receive their prizes, including a brand-new Toyota Prado, tricycles, sewing machines, generators, and grinding machines, on Wednesday, January 22, 2025.
To participate in the promo, new and existing subscribers can dial *611# and recharge their lines (voice and data) during the promo period.
Globacom explained that, “Customers are required to recharge up to N100, 000 cumulatively during the promo period to qualify for the draw for the Prado Jeep, N50, 000 cumulative recharge for Kia Picanto, N10, 000 in a month for tricycle and N5, 000 total recharge in a month to win a generator.
“For the sewing machine, a total recharge of N2, 500 in a month is required, while for the grinding machine, a recharge of N1000 in a week will be eligible for the draw,”.
The subscribers of MTN Nigeria enjoyed the best mobile Internet performances in 2024, according to nPerf’s 2024 report, which analysed mobile internet performance across Nigeria.
nPerf, a French company has been a trusted partner for both fixed and mobile operators, providing comprehensive network testing solutions and analysis.
According to nPerf, in 2024, the mobile market in Nigeria saw significant developments and the leader for this period is MTN, maintaining its position as the global winner.
From January 1 to December 31, 2024, MTN led mobile internet in Nigeria across every measurable category, with great performance. Its subscribers enjoyed an average download speed of 17.82 Mbps, leaving Airtel at 9.98 Mbps and Glo at a distant 5.66 Mbps.
“This period highlights MTN’s continued dominance as the market leader, with no new entrants taking the lead in 2024. MTN emerged as the sole leader, showing impressive advancements across various KPIs and focus areas. The analysis showcases MTN’s superiority in Download speed, Upload speed, and Latency.
Upload speeds were similar, with MTN averaging 8.05 Mbps, Airtel 4.35 Mbps, and Glo 3.43 Mbps, even as reliance on solid internet connectivity never stopped increasing.
Latency, an important metric for real-time applications such as video calls and gaming, further enhanced MTN’s place in the market. The network achieved an average latency of 79.44 ms, comfortably outperforming Glo’s 89.44 ms and Airtel’s 119.85 ms.
These figures are particularly important during peak periods (6 PM to 11 PM) when the network issues are at the highest. MTN’s ability to maintain consistent latency levels during these busy hours speaks to its superior infrastructure.
Beyond raw speeds, the quality of experience (QoE) was also analysed. In browsing performance, MTN scored an average success rate of 36.08%, surpassing Airtel at 28.86%, while Glo lagged at 29.42%.
This difference was also seen in video streaming, where MTN recorded an average streaming success rate of 72.35%, overshadowing Airtel’s 67.04% and Glo’s 53.81%.
Airtel, despite being a distant second in most metrics, delivered a commendable performance in specific areas, particularly video streaming.
Its streaming rate, at 67.04%, shows a strong emphasis on delivering quality experiences in this domain.
However, Airtel’s inability to match MTN’s speeds, browsing performance and latency asserted the gap between the two providers.
Glo, on the other hand, had steady progress throughout 2024. Although it lagged in download (5.66 Mbps) and upload speeds (3.43 Mbps), its performance in latency (89.44 ms) revealed some improvement in network responsiveness.
Glo’s focus on enhancing connectivity is obvious, but it remains apparent that the provider has some ground to cover before it can challenge the likes of MTN or even Airtel.
The data disclosed that whether downloading, browsing, or streaming, MTN subscribers always enjoyed the best experiences.
In the 4G focus area, MTN also stands out as the leader. These achievements underline the positive trends and strong market dynamics” according to nPerf.
The report also said that not only does MTN excel in download speed, upload speed, and latency, but it also leads in Video streaming.
nPerf’s report added that MTN dominates the 4G focus area, reinforcing its pioneering position in the mobile technology sector.
“Significant improvements include a remarkable enhancement in Upload speed. MTN’s consistent contributions have greatly strengthened the overall market landscape” it said
On Airtel, nPerf reported excellence in browsing and streaming, adding that Airtel, while not the market leader, demonstrates excellence in specific categories.
“With a strong performance in browsing and video streaming, Airtel secures its place as a key player. The operator’s contributions are vital to the market’s competitiveness, and its focus on enhancing user experience is evident” nPerf reported.
nPerf further reported that Glo showed steady progress with a commendable improvement in its overall score.
Although not a market leader, Glo has shown improvements in various areas, contributing positively to the market’s dynamics. The operator’s focus on enhancing connectivity and customer satisfaction is noteworthy, according to nPerf.
Nigerians Consume N5 Trillion Worth of Data in One Year
FG Mandates NITDA to Remove Nigeria from FATF Grey List
US Supreme Court Upholds Law Banning TikTok
NAICOM Collaborates with Malaysia for Takaful Insurance Development
EXIM Bank of the United States, NEXIM Bank Sign MoU to Strengthen Economic Cooperation
MTN Nigeria Renews Spectrum Lease Agreement with NTEL
NERC Discloses $5.7 Million Debt Owed by International Customers for Q3 2024 Electricity Supply
CBN, SEC Approve FCMB Group’s N147bn Rights Offer
A beginner’s guide to Temu: Your ultimate shopping companion
Corporate Blackmail, My Story as a Case Study, by Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman Zinox Group
E-Business1 day agoFG Says NINs will Facilitate Cash Transfers to 18.1m People
News2 days agoMastercard Unveils First Office in Ghana
News1 day agoEFCC to Arraign Otudeko, Others on Monday over Alleged N12.3Bn Fraud
E-Financial2 days agoPopoola, NGX Group CEO Advocates Pan-African Market
Telecom1 day agoNIGCOMSAT, Eutelsat Partner to Deepen Communication Connectivity via LEO Satellite
Telecom1 day agoFG Caps Telecoms Tariff Hike at 60 Percent
News1 day agoTikTok Plans to Shut Down App in US on Sunday- Sources
E-Financial1 day agoIFC Issues Record $2Bn Social Bond to Support Low Income Communities in Emerging Markets