From shopping to gaming and sports betting, there appears to be a mobile app for everything these days. The ease to carry out activities with minimal stress and from the comfort of one’s home is an attractive proposition to most people.
The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the apps market cannot be ignored as the lock-down forced people to carry out several activities from the comfort of their homes. As people spent time at home during the pandemic, these apps eased some of the barriers that they faced and also provided a bridge to providers of goods and services.
Africa is now one of the fastest growing regions in the market for mobile apps with the young and technology-savvy population driving the culture.
According to a report by Appflyer, Nigeria appears to be leading the growth in Africa’s mobile apps downloads in recent years with a 43% rise between Q1 2020 and Q2 2021.
We will attempt to track the rise of mobile apps in Nigeria in recent years. We will also examine the popularity of different mobile apps in the country, offering a myriad of services from shopping to banking, betting, transport and health.
SHOPPING APPS IN NIGERIA
There is a directly proportional relationship between the pandemic and the surge in shopping apps downloads. In fact, shopping apps were at the forefront of the most downloaded apps in the country as people were unable to leave their homes.
Every merchant or provider of goods appears to have an app nowadays, all in a bid to facilitate easy transactions with minimal fuss. Food delivery and consumables lead the charge in this regard while people also have everything delivered from appliances to clothes.
SOCIAL MEDIA APPS IN NIGERIA
This is another kind of app that grew in popularity during the pandemic as people sought to stay in contact with their loved ones. While it can be tough to call out exact numbers, it is undeniable that there has been a surge in the usage of social media in recent times.
This surge in social media usage means lots of apps are being downloaded almost daily.
From the popular ones like Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram to the likes of LinkedIn, the urge to connect is strong among humans.
Beyond the desire for connection, these social media apps also provide a creative outlet for people attempting to stave off boredom. All of this has also led to a rise in other related apps like video/photo audio sharing and editing apps.
BETTING APPS IN NIGERIA
Online betting has become quite popular in recent times and with the rise in popularity comes a matching increase in the number of operators. The large number of betting operators means users have numerous options when choosing a preferred app.
There used to be a time when customers had to physically visit betting shops before placing a bet. However, the betting industry has benefited from the rise of mobile betting apps in recent times.
The list of betting apps in Nigeria continues to grow all the time, giving Nigerians so many options to choose from.
The large number of betting apps in Nigeria means there is intense competition among the operators. They often try to get the better of each other by offering special features on their apps, all of which are geared towards making your experience an interesting and memorable one.
FINTECH APPS IN NIGERIA
Of course, the rise in mobile apps in Nigeria has led to a mirrored increase in the usage of fintech companies. These fintech companies like PalmPay and PiggyVest all have apps which help with ease of transactions.
Between 2017 and 2021, consumers in Nigeria saw a year-on-year increase of 60% in fintech apps downloads. According to AppsFlyers, these apps provide a level of customer experience that traditional banks cannot.
Most of the apps listed in this write-up require payment for transactions. Whether making deposits in your betting app or paying for items on a shopping app, finetech apps provide a bridge that ensures these transactions run smoothly.
OTHERS
There are also mobile apps that provide services beyond shopping, betting and social media. We now have transport apps like Uber and Bolt which facilitate ease of movement by providing cab services to customers.
We also have mobile news apps that ensure all the latest happenings from around the world are now at your fingertips. There are also religious apps and health apps that help track things like exercise levels and blood pressure.
IN-APP ADVERTISING AND PURCHASES
Beyond the primary functions of these apps, there has also been a matching rise in in-app purchases and advertising. According to AppsFlyer, in-app purchases among Nigerians recorded a 141% increase in Q3 2020, indicating how much was spent on purchases and certain upgrades.
In-app advertising has also been on the rise in recent years as people continue to spend more time with their mobile devices.
CONCLUSION
As people get more technology-savvy, the number of mobile app users continues to increase. Beyond the ease of access these apps provide, they also serve as a revenue generating mechanism, particularly with in-app purchases and advertising.
Although the pandemic heralded a surge in the use of mobile apps, they have become a mainstay in Nigeria these days, providing easy access to certain services that could otherwise be difficult.
It is a thriving and influential aspect of the Nigerian system and is likely to remain that way for a long time.