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Rapid tech gains make Metaverse very relevant to Africa

Waithera Kabiru, Head of Media Futures at EABL in Nairobi, is Africa’s only judge in the newly created Metaverse category at the London International Awards. We asked her some key questions:

IN AFRICA, WHERE MARKETERS still face so many bottom-of-thepyramid challenges, is the Metaverse relevant at this moment in time? Africa in general is booming and the appetite for digital is growing, making the Metaverse very relevant as the lines between digital and physical become blurred.

Internet and smartphone access is growing at an accelerated rate in Africa. As an example, Kenya is a mobilefirst economy with 65-million mobile subscriptions and 44.8-million mobile data subscriptions. Internet penetration is at an amazingly high 80% via mobile data and fixed broadband. Smartphone penetration is at 53% due to a focused effort to partner with mobile-device manufacturers who can deliver handsets costing under US$100.

How can African brands best leverage what the Metaverse has to offer? The pandemic has increased the appetite for online brand-led experiences such as live concerts, which will accelerate the opportunity in the Metaverse for brands to do the same. In addition, the growth of fintech, which has been accelerated by the development of mobile money, will enable a seamless path to purchase in the Metaverse – enhancing convenience for consumers.

In Kenya, East African Breweries Limited (EABL) launched ke.thebar.com, a D2C platform that it owns, to enhance convenience in alcohol delivery for the at-home occasion. This presents an amazing opportunity to scale this through the Metaverse and provide end-to-end experiences for consumers.

Through the Metaverse, brands can support the growing community of digital creators who are dominating the creative industry. In Africa, Guinness’s ‘Black Shines Brightest’ campaign is working with real culture-makers from across the continent who embody the spirit of ‘Black Shines Brightest’ in a range of different ways.

These campaigns celebrate African creativity and ingenuity. There is an opportunity to extend this experience in the Metaverse and further amplify the impact of these creators globally.

Long term, what is going to be the best thing and worst thing about the Metaverse for brands and consumers? The best thing to look forward to with the Metaverse is experiences that could probably live in perpetuity. For instance, a branded world could grow on the strength of user input, providing brands with contextual audience data like never before.

›Waithera Kabiru is Africa’s only judge in the new Metaverse category at the London International Awards

Long-term risk is largely around governance. The Metaverse has grown rapidly. Cybersecurity laws have not captured the human element adequately and this has led to abuse.

The Metaverse is the next version of the internet, and we use technology like augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to immerse ourselves in the digital world. With all this digitisation comes privacy challenges. Local and global dataprotection laws need to ensure the consumer comes first and they share information at their discretion.

Is there anything else that you would like to mention in the context of the Metaverse and Africa? Brands and creators in Africa need to collaborate early through Decentralised Social Environments (DeSo) to deliver audience-led experiences. First-mover advantage is critical.

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