Nigeria Mobile News
News about Telecoms development in Nigeria
Wednesday 2 April 2008, 2:57 PM
Mobile marketing Innovations will drive Etisalat Nigeria
Farmed out License Holder, Etisalat Nigeria sure understand how to engage the subscribers in the 3G Era. During the launch of the Network last week in Lagos, the company spokesperson mentioned something significant. He Etisalat will deploy innovative Mobile Services like the mobile cam.Mobile cam allows 3G subscribers to dial into a gadget at home or office and be able to take a quick look around the location and even record voices.
The significance of this is that while other operators in Nigeria are trying to sell 3G Services based on Television services, the late entrant is looking at it from a strong compelling side, security. I am quite disappointed that the operators do not clearly understand what the technology can do. They keep stressing on TV while not offering a strong reason why subscribers will want to switch from their non paying terrestrial tv or satellite pay Tv to yet another Mobile pay Tv. Mobile operators are not even making a pretence about building contents around the ever popular and money spinning Nollywood. Two to five minutes mobisodes of Nigeria Drama, musicals and comedy will be a huge hit in the 140 million fun loving Nigerian market but the operators are rather focused on full length sports and news channles.This does not come cheap for an average Nigeria whose ARPU is hovering around 10 dollars.
Without a perfect understanding of the 3G Marketing, the Nigerian 3G Project might be heading for doom.
The advantages of 3G is that it has a higher bit rate and operators can therefore deploy more data intensive applications. It allows for increased call volumes and support multimedia data applications, such as video and photography.
The operators need to start thinking along the three spheres of 3G applications.
First is the Business Sphere which allows for Mobile videophone, video conferencing, database management and informational services.
Second area is the private sphere which allows karaoke on demand, music on demand, portable Television, interactive games and video on demand while third area is Business sphere. This allows traffic informational service, personal security, remote monitoring systems, Electronic newspapers, Home schooling systems and remote monitoring systems.
Etisalat’s understanding of 3G marketing gives some hope and something to look forward to. At least in the Nigerian telecommunications market, there is clear differentiator. All the operators need to do is to see an operator launch a service and all others will follow suit.
Emmanuel Okoegwale
emmanuel@gomobileng.com
Wednesday 2 April 2008, 2:55 PM
Challenges of Nigeria Mobile Banking .
Mobile Banking refers to provision of banking and financial services with the help of mobile telecommunication devices. The scope of offered services may include facilities to conduct bank and stock market transactions, to administer accounts and to access customized information. Also known as M-Banking in Nigeria or in some instances SMS Banking etc. It is a term used for performing balance checks, account transactions, payments and others transaction services via a mobile devices. Some mobile Banking applications in Nigeria use pre programmed configurations settings.
Mobile Banking in Nigeria started from the transaction based activities whereby Bank customers are Notified via sms when transactions are conducted on their account or via Atm. This is a one way event and only for informational purposes only. GT Bank was on of the earliest Banks to provision this service to customers.
That was the early days on Mobile Banking in Nigeria. Nigerian Banks are now deploying full fledge banking via the Mobile Phones with array of services which were only possible in the Banking Halls before. Zenith Bank, UBA , GTBank, Diamond and Intercontinental Banks are the fore runners of this innovation.
Despite the watch and see attitude that some very leading Banks are taking about Mobile Banking in Nigeria, The mobile remains the Only and most available feasible means to provide mass market alternative to Branch Banking in Nigeria. The internet has only a penetration rate of 6 percent in a population of 140 million but mobile technology is close to 50 percent penetration with prospects for growth.
Mobile devices are the most promising way to reach the masses and to create a tie-in among current customers, due to their ability to provide services anytime, anywhere, high rate of penetration and potential to grow. Deployment of 3G in coming months will also enable Banks to offer more robust Mobile Banking technologies.
Key challenges in developing a sophisticated mobile banking application are Interoperability. The single reason for is the manner in which mobile phone applications evolved over time, device manufacturers focused on particular standard and and this led to a proliferation of applications .The Financial Regulator CBN should look in this issue at this early stage so that Mobile Banking ecosystem can be robust with National standard that cuts across all Banks. Bank specific Mobile Banking platforms is akin to having each bank deploying its own ATM Technology which other bank customers cannot access.
Interoperability can also help to evolve a standard that will enable low end phones which are currently excluded, to do Mobile Banking. Some countries like India and South Africa are already using some standards like R-World and USSD.
Application distribution for Mobile Banking is another area where some Banks are facing Challenges. While some forward looking Banks are overhauling their gateways and reducing their reliance on Mobile Operators settings to enable customer’s phones, Some Banks are actually asking that Customers come with regular Operator settings which in many instances might not be correct configurations settings..
Operator settings are not really meant for critical operations since most of the settings are used for entertainment based activities. Nigerian Banks that are looking at competing at this sector must look beyond operators settings which might not be correct, delayed in arrival,may not come at all and not regularly updated. Some Mobile operators do update like every three months while some do not at all. For wap and Gprs based Mobile Banking applications, mobile network coverage will also be an issue.
As part of their marketing strategies, I will expect that by now, customers do not need to visit local Branches to download Banking applications. Over-the-Air (OTA) Settings should be readily available online and some innovations can even come to play by Banks deploying Bluetooth application machines in Shopping malls and some strategic places where customers can visit and download Mobile Banking applications for free or for a fee..This will increase the addressable market of the Banks offering Mobile Banking exponentially in Nigeria.
Emmanuel Okoegwale
emmanuel@gomobileng.com
Wednesday 2 April 2008, 2:51 PM
Nigeria Mobile marketing : The uncharted waters
Mobile marketing is used to describe marketing via the mobile devices and phones.In Nigeria, traditional methods of marketing is still the way to go because it has been tested and trusted over the years even with its declining Return on investment.Nigeria media marketing is worth over 4 Billion Dollars according to the Nigerian Marketing Association, Apcon.
Television, outdoor media and Radio accounts for the bulk of media channels in nigeria while internet is less than 0.05( There are only 6 internet connections per 1000) and mobile is just evolving.The focus is on the traditional media but the future and the reality is pointing towards Mobile.
There are 23 million Televisons sets in Nigeria, 7 Million Radio sets, one fully national Television station,60 regional and semi regional Tevevision stations, one national radio station but 42 million mobile users in a population of 140 million.Figures dont lie.
While Traditional media is largely untargetted, Mobile marketing can be tailored to targetted audiences,measure and track result,reduce cost and capitalize on emerging technologies.
The percularities of the Nigerian lanscape should have long prompted Brand managers to start asking their agencies questions about Mobile marketing, in face of the gradual decline in all other media channels.Television viewship is declining at a fast rate for the following reasons,influx of cheap Chinese pirated movies,electricity failures,absence of prime time Tv shows and absence of national Television stations.Radio has its own challenges too and outdoor is location specific.Mobile is the only meduim with anywhere and anytime advantage with possiblities to accomodate all array of features like video,mms, pictures, sms, internet and others.Mobile is more powerful personal meduim than any other.And it is time, that Nigerian Brands exploit the oppourtunity.
While Nigerian Brands want to be seen in the leagues of world class Brands but they should also understand that No world class brand evolved through a single advertising media but rather through a range or media.Survey of world class leading brands found that best performers were those that integrated their marketing across range of media and often blurring the lines between advertisement and entertainment,which consumers tend to enjoy.
The challenge of Mobile marketing buying process is still unclear in Nigeria.Brand owners who desire to infuse mobile marketing into their marketing mix do not clearly understand how to go about it.Do they approach the mobile network operators,value added service provider or a marketing agency? Few mobile marketing mobile marketing campaigns that had been deployed in Nigeria are mainly by the value added services providers which lacks the touch of Brand managers because they dont have brand managers in house.Nigerian Marketing agencies do not have mobile agency departments or even desk.
Mobile marketing should not be limited to the normal text-to-win promotions in Nigeria.It is a two way communicator which will bring the much needed interactivity because consumers want to have closer relationships with fewer brands. And the mobile provides such channel.
Emmanuel@gomobileng.com
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