Apps assemble! The rise of the super app in East Africa

With so many East Africans running their lives on their mobile phones, the market is primed for the arrival of the super app. These bundles of complementary services make it even easier for our mobile-first generation to access a range of consumer functions – such as banking, ride-hailing, communication and hiring traders – all from within the one app. We take a look at some of the best out there.

Ayoba

Ayoba

Countries served:

Uganda, Ghana, Rwanda, Nigeria

Services:

Instant messaging, share news stories, videos and images, make money transfers

Download the app:

At ayoba.me or Google Play (iOS version to be rolled out soon)

It may seem a bit of stretch to bestow super app status on an instant messaging app, but Ayoba is a one-of-a-kind communications platform that allows integrated connections that go beyond just chatting. It was launched in South Africa – ‘ayoba’ is a made-up word popularised in the townships to mean ‘cool’ or ‘ok’ – but in 2019 it arrived in East Africa through MTN Uganda. The app works across networks, but MTN’s customers get 1 GB of free data each month to use its multimedia features such as news and sports channels, music and video chats and to share videos, images, audio and other files with their contacts via end-to-end encryption. It is also possible to make secure money transfers with your contact without having to come out of your chat. Using the ‘MoMo’ option, you can set the amount to send and include a reason for the transfer. You then get to authorise the transaction by entering your PIN code. Just you and the recipient will be notified once the transfer has gone through. MTN Uganda has recently teamed up with Vodacom Tanzania to allow their customers to send direct money transfers between the two countries.

Little

Little

Countries served:

Kenya, Uganda, Zambia and Tanzania

Services:

Ride-hailing, food delivery, utility payments and more

Download the app:

At Google Play or App Store

Little began as a small-scale ridehailing company in Kenya, battling for market share with global giants such as Uber and Taxify, but has expanded into a East African super-app with a bouquet of smart services that now includes bus rides, the payment of electricity and water bills as well as food and parcel deliveries. A new option on the app allows users to fill in parcel details such as the size, description, receiver’s details and location. These delivery services have flourished amid social distancing concerns during the pandemic. The app also allows users to select a preferred driver, track the parcel and make cashless payments.

M-Pesa

M-Pesa

Countries served:

Kenya, Tanzania, Lesotho, Mozambique, DRC, Ghana and Egypt

Services:

Deposit and withdraw money, make payments across the continent, top up airtime, pay bills, receive salaries, set up online business

Download the app:

at Google Play or App Store

M-Pesa is Africa’s most successful mobile money service. In 2019 41.5 million people used it to carry out more than 12 billion transactions and its operations are set to get even bigger. Early last year Vodacom and Safaricom completed the acquisition of the M-Pesa brand in a joint venture with ambitions to broaden its bouquet of services into super app territory. The first wave of these new ‘mini-apps’ that partner with M-Pesa has focused on small businesses, giving them the chance to turn their mobile phone into an optimised business tool. The Lipa Na M-Pesa app, which allows start-ups and small-scale merchants to embrace cashless payments, has proved very popular in response to Covid-19. Recent updates have also seen the arrival of miniapps M-Pawa and Mastercard, which will allow customers to manage loans, savings and top up their virtual cards.

Tingg

Tingg

Countries served:

Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Botswana

Services:

Secure bill payments, money transfers, pay for travel, food and gas delivery

Download the app:

At Google Play

Tingg is a smart, cashless and convenient payment solution that links all your mobile money, debit/credit cards and banks to one wallet across Africa. You don’t have to have a bank account at all to use its services, which include paying utility bills, renewing cable TV and internet subscriptions, paying for travel, topping up your mobile phone airtime across networks and even ordering food. All transactions are super secure thanks to twofactor authentication and there are no charges if you are sending money to another Tingg user. The app, which was devised by African-run digital payments company Cellulant, is also proving popular with small businesses wanting to start accepting digital payments from customers across the continent.