An expert on the topic of black representation, she’s the kind of public speaker that can both shake up an audience and give them goosebumps. The caveat? 

She’s radically honest. Whether she’s talking to top senior executives at the World Economic Forum or students at Stanford, she refuses to tone down her message. She’s an activist and her cause—saving black lives through representation—is too vital for that.

She admits that speaking out about racial injustice can be draining, especially in reaction to tragedies such as the killing of George Floyd. 

She has a lot to say, but she doesn’t want to be the only vessel for her message. She thinks that the other vessel could be her startup, #Adtags.

Dreaming up #Adtags

The idea for #Adtags came to her in a dream: What if there was a platform to connect brands and black content creators? Brands need authentic images of people of color. People of color need not just to be represented, but to have a say in how.

In her TEDx talk, Vimbayi reminds us that the representation of black people is often limited, negative, and unambiguous. 

“Black people aren’t granted nuance of feelings,” she told Tim Metz on Enabling Tomorrow. “They don’t show up in things that are happy; they don’t show up in things that are joyful; they don’t show up in things that have pride.”

She envisioned a platform where a black content creator could upload a photo of themselves and tag a brand. The brand would then have the option of buying the photo for commercial use. 

In that sense, #Adtags would work similarly to stock photo websites such as Shutterstock and Getty Images, where companies buy photos and creators get instantly paid. But that’s as far as similarities go. In a way, #Adtags is the “anti-stock photo” photo platform, filling in the gap for unique photos of people of color made by people of color.

The journey there

Although she did wake up with the user journey for #Adtags entirely mapped out, the idea for the platform didn’t come out of the blue. 

Vimbayi was born in Zimbabwe, but because her parents were diplomats, she lived all around Europe, Africa, and North America. Wherever she was, she was often the only black person, or the only Zimbabwean, in the room. “Representation is an issue that has always followed me. It’s a calling,” she says.

That calling was never as clear as when she joined China Central Television (CCTV) as their first black and African news anchor, speaking to an international audience of over 1 billion. Viewers who felt represented for the first time sent her messages saying she was an inspiration to them and a role model to their children. Because of her, the channel attracted unprecedented viewership from North America, Europe, and Africa.

After leaving CCTV, Vimbayi lived in different parts of West Africa, immersing herself in local cultures and discovering how black people in different countries perceived themselves. She saw the uniquely cool photos that her friends took and knew there was untapped potential there.

Finally, a stint in an advertising agency in South Africa showed her that advertising executives don’t always have a pulse on how young people engage with brands and products. And most of them don’t do a good job portraying black people in meaningful ways. 

Collaboration with KaiOS

Meanwhile, KaiOS had an urgent need for high-quality images of Nigerians using KaiOS phones. Tim Metz, Marketing Director at KaiOS, had watched Vimbayi’s TEDx talk and reached out to see if she would help.

Vimbayi and her partner, Nic Rawhani, liked the idea and accepted the challenge of connecting KaiOS to African content creators to produce the photos.

Part of the job involved culturally interpreting KaiOS’s creative brief to make it resonate with diverse audiences in Nigeria.

The other was serving as a liaison between the photographers (or taggers, as they’re known in the platform) and KaiOS; negotiating terms and conditions; and creating the scenarios—all of it remotely and across multiple timezones.

“I couldn’t have done it without my strategic and creative advisor, Nic Rawhani; my legal team based in South Africa, headed by Chengetayi Mariti; and the help of my assistant Jemima Cortez, who beautifully executed scheduling in multiple time zones,” says Vimbayi.

The result was three sets of rare, beautiful images—the first showing people using smart feature phones to be available in an image library. One of them, by Nigerian photographer Emmanuel-King Itegboje, recently won a photo competition organized by The World Summit on the Information Society.

From Africa to Silicon Valley

Vimbayi recently relocated to California, where she’s in the process of transitioning #Adtags into a US-based company. She moved there to be around tech industry professionals and investors, the two kinds of people she is going to need to make her vision a reality.

Her vision: She wants 100 million pictures of people of color on billboards in the next ten years. She believes that exposure to images of people of color doing both ordinary and extraordinary things can help dismantle white supremacy.

Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, she was working from The Assembly, a women-centered coworking space in San Francisco. There, she spent a lot of time figuring out how to set up #Adtags to reflect her core values while complying with laws and regulations—not easy when you’re creating something entirely unique.

She knows for sure that she wants taggers to be well compensated. She also wants them to have the creative freedom to portray themselves authentically.

Most of all, she wants more images of black people and people of color everywhere. To her, it’s a matter of life or death.

Liked #Adtags’ mission? Check out their website and subscribe for updates.

The post Increasing black representation with #Adtags’ Vimbayi Kajese appeared first on KaiOS.

On feature phones, all you can do is make calls and send texts. Smart feature phones, on the other hand, offer advanced functionalities: beyond calling and texting, you can read the news, play games, connect with friends on Facebook, and more.

But if these devices connect to the internet, what makes them different from smartphones? What features do they have? And, in a world ruled by smartphones, why do feature phones, however smart, matter?

In this guide, we’ll answer these questions and more.

What’s a smart feature phone?

Smart feature phones are a hybrid of feature phones and smartphones. They look and feel like feature phones, but have smartphone functionalities, including multimedia and internet capabilities.

Hardware

Because they are nontouch devices with little memory, smart feature phones cost less to produce than smartphones. Not having large touchscreens also makes them more durable and resistant to impact, which means they last longer than smartphones.

The components of smart feature phones include:

• Battery
• SIM card slot
• SD card slot
• Camera 
• USB port
• Microphone & speaker
• Flashlight

Additional components might be available depending on the phone model.

Software

Like smartphones and feature phones, smart feature phones run mobile operating systems (OS).

The mobile operating systems of smart feature phones are lightweight to adjust to the limited random-access memory (RAM) in these devices, which can be as low as 256MB.

Features

Though smart feature phones may look retro, they have the essential features you’d expect from modern devices, including:

• Wi-Fi, 3G/4G/LTE, VoLTE
• GPS
• Bluetooth
• Voice-user interface
• App store
• Over-the-air updates
• Calendar
• Clock
• Email
• FM radio
• Ringtones

Additional features, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, and Google Assistant, might also be available depending on the phone model.

Interface

Despite their small screens and keypad navigation, smart feature phones aren’t difficult to use. UX designers are continuously searching for ways to create more screen space and optimize navigation on smart feature phones.

Production of smart feature phones

Mobile OS development companies partner with local carriers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to bring smart feature phones to life.

They lay out the plan for what’s possible on smart feature phones, leaving carriers and manufacturers to decide how to execute the plan to best meet the needs of their target customers.

A mobile OS’s support for features isn’t a guarantee of their implementation. For example, although KaiOS supports near-field technology (NFC) for payments, manufacturers might choose to leave out this feature in some KaiOS devices.

Smart feature phone types

Smart feature phones can be divided into four types:

1. Candy bar phones
   Candy bar phones (also known as bar phones) have this name because they’re roughly the same shape and size of a chocolate bar. They’re compact mobile phones with a small screen and keypad on a single face. The most widely available and affordable smart feature phones are candy bars.
   Examples: TNM Smart 4G, Altan K26
2. Rugged phones
   Often encased in shock-absorbent rubber, rugged phones are known for their near indestructibility, which makes them ideal for manual workers or people who practice outdoor activities. Some are military standard 810G (MIL-STD-810G) compliant, which means they go through a series of tests that put them up against shock, vibration, humidity, heat, cold, humidity, and even gunfire shock to ensure that they’re “combat-ready”.
   Example: Nokia 800 Tough, CAT B35

   

3. Keyboard phones
   Keyboard phones come with a full QWERTY keyboard. They’re sought out by people who use their mobile phones to type emails and other longer messages and prefer a physical keyboard over an on-screen one. QWERTY keyboard phones can be candy bar or slide phones. If they’re candy bars, the keyboard shares the same surface area as the screen; if they’re slide phones, or slider cell phones, the keyboard slides out from under the screen.
   Example: JioPhone 2
4. Flip phones
   Flip phones are foldable. Their clamshell design makes them shorter and narrower than other types of devices and protects the keys and display from damage and unintended use. The interface components on flip phones tend to be larger than in other types of mobile devices.
   Examples: Nokia Flip 2720, Alcatel GO FLIP 3

Smart feature phone users

Smart feature phones aren’t for everyone, but meet the needs of niche customers, including:

• Low-income individuals priced out of the smartphone market
• Older adults with a preference for simpler interfaces and physical keyboards
• Manual laborers and people who practice outdoor activities
• Organizations that need simple, affordable internet-enabled devices for work
• Individuals looking for a companion phone

There’s a growing demand for smart feature phones worldwide, especially in emerging markets.

Importance of smart feature phones for digital inclusion

With prices starting as low as $11 USD, smart feature phones are crucial for advancing digital inclusion. In India, the JioPhone has helped hundreds of thousands of people get connected.

In addition to being affordable, smart feature phones are also more accessible to first-time internet users, including those who can’t read or write.

For these reasons, they are becoming increasingly popular even among those who have been traditionally excluded from the digital world, such as farmers in remote villages in Africa.

KaiOS and smart feature phones

Built by KaiOS Technologies, KaiOS is a web-based mobile operating system developed exclusively for smart feature phones. Over 100 million smart feature phones in over 100 countries worldwide run KaiOS.

In addition to developing the OS that makes affordable internet-enabled devices possible, KaiOS Technologies also works to increase digital literacy and access to meaningful connectivity around the world.

Conclusion

Smart feature phones look and feel like feature phones. But unlike average feature phones, “smart” feature phones connect to the internet and offer access to apps.

Simple, durable, and inexpensive, these hybrid devices cater to niche customers, including low-income individuals in emerging markets.

Their affordability makes them essential to closing the digital divide.

Explore KaiOS devices

The post The ultimate guide to smart feature phones appeared first on KaiOS.

To help carriers empower first-time internet users, we’ve put together a list of onboarding suggestions.

Train retail staff to educate, not just sell

Often, retail workers are an unconnected person’s first contact with mobile internet. If trained, sales staff can play a crucial role in onboarding first-time internet users. Here’s how:

1. Introducing smart feature phones as internet-enabled devices

   Late adopters often assume that only smartphones connect to the internet. Staff can address this misconception by introducing KaiOS phones as internet-enabled devices and doing live demonstrations of how to use them to connect to the internet.

2. Demonstrating how mobile data, wifi, and hotspots work

   First-time internet consumers may not be familiar with mobile data, wifi, and hotspots, but sales staff can explain. They can also show customers how to purchase packages and switch mobile data on and off to avoid unwanted charges.

3. Sharing personal examples of internet use

   New users tend to not be clear on what the internet has to offer. In addition to demonstrating how to access and use popular apps, sellers can help by sharing examples of their own internet use. This helps new internet adopters grasp the specific ways apps, and the internet in general, can be useful in their day-to-day.

4. Helping customers meet their needs

   Retail workers should ask customers what their interests and needs are, and then teach them how to meet those needs on their smart feature phones. If they enjoy listening to music, staff can show them how to find music videos on YouTube, for example.

5. Building trust so they return

   When salespeople educate later adopters of the internet on how smart feature phones work and what is possible through mobile internet, they establish themselves and the store as trusted guides. Happy customers are likely to return when it’s time to purchase a new device and recommend the store to family and friends.

Note: Offering the type of friendly and helpful service described above requires that sales associates feel confident and competent using smart feature phones. Getting to know KaiOS-powered devices and how they work should, therefore, be an essential part of their training. For tips and prompts, see the GSM Association’s Mobile Internet Skills Training Toolkit.

Add educational materials to packages

Inspiring new customers to take advantage of free digital resources is an effective strategy for turning them into data plan subscribers, as we explain here.

Pakistan’s leading digital communications company, Jazz, applied this tactic. Inside every box of Digit 4G phones, they placed a flyer introducing first-time users to the Life app, KaiOS’ free life skills app. As new internet users were motivated to try the app and spend more connected.

Remind new users to connect

Helping newly-connected customers build the habit of going online is also important.

One way to keep them active is through automated calls or audio messages. Outbound calls recorded in their local language can inspire them to take action. Short, attention-grabbing audio messages can encourage them to call a toll-free number to learn more.

SMS notifications can also persuade them to reconnect. Here are some sample texts:

Access industry insights

Understanding the unique needs of the newly connected helps you better market your products and services in emerging markets.

At KaiOS, we do extensive research on the experience and behavior of late internet adopters. We share our findings on our blog as well as in webinars and events.

Examples of our research include:

• How Nigerians use and perceive mobile phones and the internet
• Leveraging free mobile data to drive engagement and fuel growth
• How smart feature phones help advance financial inclusion

We encourage you to access our industry insights to better target new internet consumers in emerging markets.

Take action

We’re excited to see you apply these ideas to empower first-time internet users. If you have questions or an interest in partnering with us, please contact us at partnerships@kaiostech.com.

The post How to onboard first-time internet users appeared first on KaiOS.

There’s no question that Reliance Jio is now a household name in India, but how did they rise to the top so quickly?

Nearly three years into our partnership with Reliance Jio, we look back at what helped our partner get to where they are today.

Affordable internet-enabled devices

With smartphones costing $158 USD on average— over a third of the average Indian person’s monthly income—mobile internet used to be a luxury in India.

With the $20 USD JioPhone, a feature phone with smartphone capabilities, Reliance Jio bridged that deep divide. Sold for the price of a “dumb” feature phone, the JioPhone finally made mobile internet accessible. 

Before JioPhones, over 300 million people in India were unconnected. With the launch of these KaiOS-powered devices, hundreds of thousands were able to discover video calls, GPS, Facebook, and more.

Our partner made it easy for feature phone users to switch to JioPhones by lowering the price to $7 USD for anyone who traded in their old phone. They also gave the smart feature phones to anyone who signed a 36-month data plan contract.

As it turns out, the underserved portion of the Indian population didn’t need convincing to get online—they just needed an affordable way to do it. Reliance Jio lowered the financial barrier to mobile internet access and, as a result, gained 47% market share within less than a year.

A $37 billion investment in country-wide 4G/LTE network

Before the JioPhone debuted, over half a billion Indians relied on a 2G network. Reliance Jio set out to improve internet speeds and coverage across the country.

The JioPhone was the first mobile device in India to use 4G VoLTE for voice calls. With 4G VoLTE, calls were much clearer, and the speeds were fast enough for people to use data while chatting on the phone. In fact, the Reliance Jio 4G network achieved the fastest speeds in India.

A year after the JioPhone launched, 38% of 2G feature phone users converted to 4G Reliance Jio. The combination of affordable data plans and nationwide 4G coverage led to massive increases in data usage, rising from less than 1GB per month to nearly 10GB.

Fast, affordable data changed the lives of many Indians from underserved areas. “I feel now that I have a phone, I exist,” said a first-time user.

Improved network coverage and speeds meant that even people living in remote villages and rural areas could take advantage of mobile internet. Even those with limited literacy could use JioPhones thanks to The Google Voice Assistant.

The investment in 4G not only brought in millions of new customers but also encouraged those people to spend more time online.

Enticing promotions that won over customers

Reliance Jio attracted customers by surprising them with bonus data offers, free minutes, and holiday discounts.

New subscribers enjoyed free voice calls within the Reliance Jio network, which encouraged friends and family to purchase Reliance Jio devices. As an additional benefit, prepaid plans also included 1,000 free minutes for off-net calls to people on rival networks.

Our partner also leveraged the power of free data to gain more loyal customers. The original JioPhone included a generous free data package, which quickly led to more than 100 million new subscribers. This investment paid off: at the end of the promotion, 72 million of the free subscribers converted to paying customers.

Moreover, Reliance Jio became known for offering major discounts during the Indian holidays. For Diwali 2019, it slashed the price of the JioPhone to only $9 USD and included free bonus data each time someone renewed their package.

Customers also responded well to Reliance Jio’s surprise promotions, such as the Summer Surprise, which waived monthly fees for three months for Jio Prime users. Summer Surprise was so well received that Reliance Jio offered variations of the promotion in subsequent years.

A diverse ecosystem that facilitated cross-selling

Reliance Jio didn’t rest on the laurels of their popular devices and data plans. They expanded their ecosystem, covering services in six categories: news, financial inclusion, storage and security, entertainment, connectivity, and healthcare. 

By giving customers a central place for everything from mobile money to music streaming, they were able to retain them into their ecosystem.

Their diverse ecosystem also allowed them to cross-sell services to subscribers. For example, they merged their music streaming service with a local service, Saavn, to nudge customers towards the internal music streaming library, JioSaavn. Not only did that encourage people to stay within the ecosystem, but it promoted increased data usage as well. Additional services also helped Reliance Jio gather more behavioral data, which they used to attract marketers who paid to place targeted ads.

Key takeaways from the rise of Reliance Jio

Our partner used several strategies to become as successful as they are today. Here is a summary of what got them here:

• Affordable devices and data packages helped them reach the 300 million Indians priced out of the smartphone market.
• Increased network speeds and coverage contributed to a 900% increase in average monthly data usage in India.
• Free or discounted services brought customers to Reliance Jio, and consistent promotions kept them coming back.
• A diverse ecosystem provided opportunities for cross-selling to customers.

We continuously study what works for our partners and share our findings. If you’d like to stay informed about what KaiOS and our partners are working on, subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Twitter.

The post How Reliance Jio became the world’s fastest-growing mobile network appeared first on KaiOS.

Barrier 1: The high cost of data

Not having enough data prevents new internet users from fully enjoying the internet. That’s why we go beyond making internet-enabled devices accessible and also work to make data affordable. We do this by educating mobile carriers about the benefits of offering mobile data for free and at low prices.

Barrier 2: Low digital literacy

“Giving [KaiOS phone users] first-time access to the internet is kind of like handing a bucket of Lego bricks to a person who has never seen them and telling them, build anything!” KaiOS UX designer Tina Chen writes on Medium.

To help new users understand the possibilities of the internet and take advantage of them, we partnered with the GSM Association (GSMA) to create a digital literacy toolkit.

The toolkit is being used to teach customers the basics of the internet in stores when they buy their first KaiOS smart feature phones. Life app users are also accessing this content to gain digital skills.

Meanwhile, the KaiOS UX design team is working so that first-time internet users can gain digital literacy as they interact with their smart feature phones. Read Tina’s article to find out more.

Barrier 3: A lack of locally-relevant apps

Localized content gives newly connected people a reason to go online and stay connected. To ensure a continuous supply of KaiOS apps that address local needs, we provide developers with information, support, and opportunities.

We teach workshops, sponsor startup pitch competitions, participate in tech conferences, and visit coding schools in developing countries, all with the goal of raising awareness about KaiOS and recruiting new talent for our mission.

On occasion, we also work with developers directly to create content we deem essential to the KaiOS community. We recently partnered with KaiOS developer Valeriy Skachko to create Be Safe, a COVID-19 awareness and prevention app.

See the full list of apps we created in response to the pandemic.

Help us bring life-changing internet to everyone

Our mission is to ensure that everyone, everywhere can afford an internet-enabled phone. But we want people to be more than just connected. We want everyone in the world to be able to use the internet to unleash potential. Join us in making our vision a reality. Check out our job openings.

The post How KaiOS empowers new internet users appeared first on KaiOS.

Localized content—digital tools and resources designed with the needs of locals in mind—can change that.

In this post, we explore examples of apps that have helped show newly connected users in Pakistan, Indonesia, and Nigeria, that mobile internet is essential.

Pakistanis have mobile access to government services

The federal and municipal governments of Pakistan have launched apps that make it easy for people to access public services. Here are examples:

An app for reporting crimes

In the city of Peshawar, a police app allows citizens to report crimes. The app’s greatest strength is that it enables people to add photos and videos to testimonies, which in turn helps the police solve more crimes. Locals say that the app has helped reduce Peshawar’s crime rate.

A portal for making complaints

Though the Pakistan Citizen Portal, citizens can file complaints to the government and add public issues to a “watch list”. Federal and government organizations perform quarterly reviews of resolutions and regularly update the statuses of complaints.

SMS verification for health services

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has made it possible for Pakistanis to find out if they’re eligible for national health assistance as well as verify their registrations for government programs via text messages. NADRA also allows citizens of Pakistan to store health-related e-cards and biometric passports; search for social grant programs; and access the civil registration system from their smart feature phones.

Indonesians use apps for information and entertainment

Here’s a list of regionalized content that’s popular in the island nation:

Real-time public transit and traffic information

Indonesia is infamous for its traffic jams, particularly in big cities like Jakarta, which ranks 10th in the world for congestion levels. Indonesians use the following apps to navigate:

• LewatMana and Bandung 247 for traffic reports
• Komutta and Tiket Kereta Api for public transportation schedules
• GrabTaxi for connecting with nearby drivers who charge set fees
• Gojek’s GoRide for searching for ojek (motorbike taxi) drivers

Entertainment and socialization apps

Although instant-messaging app LINE is originally from Japan, Indonesia is the app’s second-largest market. Over 30 million Indonesians use it to make free voice and video calls and to access social media features similar to those offered by Instagram and Snapchat.

Nigerians use apps that improve their lives

With a booming population of over 200 million and the largest economy in Africa, Nigeria is a promising mobile market. As network coverage increases, localized apps are improving the local economy.

Free resources for farmers

Life by KaiOS combines resources from Wefarm and iCow to provide farmers with expert crop management, livestock care, and agricultural business advice. The app helps farmers increase their crop yields and monitor local weather.

Solutions for sending and receiving payments

More than 50% of the adult Nigerian population does not have a bank account. Mobile money solutions such MTN MoMo Agent enable the unbanked to make purchases and send and receive payments through their smart feature phones.

Online job boards

Jobs in Nigeria searches local job sites for opportunities. Users can sign up to receive job alerts based on specific search terms. Latest Jobs in Nigeria provides daily updates of vacancies as well as helpful career resources, including common interview questions and free CV templates.

Localized content keeps users engaged

In emerging markets, localized content is crucial for attracting and retaining the newly connected. Pakistan, Indonesia, and Nigeria are proof that, when apps address local needs, people are happy to stay connected.

Work with KaiOS to provide valuable content to newly connected users in emerging markets around the world. Contact partnerships@kaiostech.com for more information.

The post Localized content helps retain users in three emerging markets appeared first on KaiOS.

1. They don’t know the benefits of connectivity

Newly connected people often see mobile internet as little more than a status symbol. For 82% of our interviewees in Nigeria, an internet-enabled phone is just a means to boost their social status. Without an understanding of how connectivity can benefit them, new smart feature phone users tend to experiment with very basic online activities and disengage when their data packages run out.

2. Retail workers are their best guides

Retail workers are a non-internet user’s most knowledgeable source of information about mobile internet and smart feature phones. When in-store staff helps newly connected people feel confident and competent about using smart feature phones, they pay to spend more time online, as this Tigo Rwanda case study shows.

3. They want to know what x number of megabytes gives them

While experienced internet users tend to buy large data bundles to save on cost per MB, newcomers prefer buying smaller bundles more frequently. When buying data packages—for their own use and as gifts—they respond better to offers that translate megabytes and gigabytes into everyday language they can understand. For example, “This basic bundle gives you 10 hours of internet browsing and 20 minutes of watching video”, as opposed to, “This basic plan gives you 800 MB”.

4. Free resources are their entry to meaningful internet use

New internet adopters are interested in taking advantage of free resources. Our Life app, which provides free training on digital skills, health, finances, and other topics, is currently one of the five most downloaded apps in Nigeria and Uganda, and the 14th most downloaded app in Rwanda. Life’s popularity shows that new internet users are eager to explore online content and to develop new skills.

5. Localized content can convert non-internet users to connectivity

Localized content—apps and resources that address local needs—can convert non-internet users into active internet use. Farmers in Kenya became late adopters once they learned that they could use smart feature phones to manage their supply chain and increase their incomes as a result.

Research takeaways

Here is a summary of our findings:

• Effective onboarding is crucial to keeping first-time internet users active online and connected in a meaningful way.
• Onboarding should start at the store, and in-store staff should be trained to sell as well as to educate.
• Data package offers that translate megabytes or gigabytes into use-based descriptions are typically more successful.
• Late internet adopters buy data packages as gifts—carriers should note this behavior and capitalize on it.
• Free, useful content are late adopters’ entry to meaningful connectivity.
• Localized content can convert non-users into active users.

To learn more about our research into first-time internet users and emerging markets, contact us at partnerships@kaiostech.com.

The post First-time internet users: 5 insights gleaned from research appeared first on KaiOS.

However, many Nigerians fueling this rapid growth in the tech space actually under-utilize their technology. While these Nigerians show great interest in mobile devices and the internet, our research shows that they aren’t aware of the ways they can leverage technology to their advantage.

There’s a huge opportunity to help new users engage with technology and the internet in new ways, proving beneficial to both newly connected consumers and the key industry players that facilitate that connection.

We completed a study to better understand how the average Nigerian currently uses and perceives mobile phones and the internet. We hope our insights and recommendations will encourage you to become a part of Nigeria’s growing tech space.

Research overview

We surveyed 819 individuals and 48 retailers and phone sellers from seven Nigerian states. Overall, respondents were interested in owning a phone and having mobile internet, but were not fully aware of all the benefits and ways to use the internet.

We found that first-time internet users enjoy reading and surfing the web, but many have yet to discover how the internet can be beneficial to their entire community. New users tend to learn about the internet from members of their local communities in an offline setting, which often leads to a narrow view of what the internet has to offer. For example, they might only hear about a few specific apps and have misconceptions about both the internet and how to access it.

A large portion of respondents work informal jobs such as petty trading, farming, and artisan work. Although they spend most of their income on food, shelter, and clothing, they are still willing to invest in things that make their lives more fun and allow them to connect with others.

Who was included in our study?

We designed our study to provide an accurate depiction of newly connected consumers in Nigeria. As such, we structured our respondent pool to include specific age ranges, income levels, and geographic locations. Our interviewees can be segmented as follows:

• 40% rural, 35% semi-urban, and 25% urban: This split provides an accurate picture of Nigeria’s urbanization status.
• A significant portion works in informal and/or unstable jobs such as farming (15%), petty trading (31%), or artisan work (21%).
• All respondents earn less than NGN 360,000 (USD 990) annually.
• Our sample was slightly skewed toward a younger population because 54% of the entire Nigerian population is under 20 years of age. Ages 16-50 were included in the study.

Internet perception

Our study shows that respondents have a specific perception of internet content that is very different from that of the developed world. For example, using Opera, a major web browser app, is seen as synonymous with “browsing the internet.” This leads to the unintended consequence of users not discovering the browser app that comes with their mobile device if the app icon does not look similar to the Opera icon. We found a number of similar misconceptions of the internet and device capabilities throughout the study.

Finding: Internet is a status symbol, but not widely understood

The majority of the respondents claim they need an internet-enabled phone, but their reasoning is based more on social status and perception than the actual benefits.

“Well, this world right now is a global or internet world; everything is all about internet, so that is why everybody needs an internet-enabled device.” Male, 21-30 years, Anambra state, semi-urban

“In our time now, if you don’t have an internet-enabled mobile phone, it’s like you are nothing, and you must let people know you have it.” Female, 21-30 years, Abuja city, urban

From these responses (and others), we discovered that the need for internet access did not tie back to what respondents actually do online. Instead, their reasoning was based on how other people view them.

Recommendation: Market to communities, not individuals

New users need to be persuaded to adopt mobile internet and will turn to their social circle for guidance. To convince an individual, start with the community.

Urban residents tend to use the internet for a wider range of activities because they have more exposure to mobile internet through friends, family, school, and work.

Rural residents, on the other hand, do not have the same level of access, which means they have fewer real-world examples of how the internet can be used in their communities.

Both urban and rural first-time users generally look for ways to use the internet in a way that benefits the community as a whole.

To reach a wider audience, advertisers can focus on promoting the internet not to the individual, but to the entire community. For example, newly connected Nigerians are more likely to respond to a pitch that presents WhatsApp as a tool for organizing church gatherings and sharing study materials as opposed to an app for chatting with friends.

Finding: New users are unaware of how the internet can benefit them

Nigerians have heard good things about the internet, but have yet to discover how to take advantage of all the benefits.

As in most other markets around the world, we found that new users generally use phones for communication and entertainment. The most impactful uses—career development, personal health management, and business applications—are the least popular.

Nigerians in rural areas are even less likely to understand how mobile internet can benefit them personally. One rural interviewee said, “It doesn’t help my business. I farm, it’s just me, my hoe, and the farm…”

Recommendation: Educate users about how they can use the internet to their advantage

Mobile internet can provide support in areas like health, education, and business. However, these uses are the least popular because new users are unaware of their potential value.

Industry players can engage new users by clearly stating how they can gain practical advantages from mobile internet. Some examples:

• Promote your products to customers beyond your town by sharing photos on Facebook
• Are you a farmer looking to get a competitive advantage in the market? Use farming apps to access the latest crop prices.
• Do you live in an area where clean water is difficult to access? Use Google to  search “how to kill bacteria in water at home.”
• Save $1-$2 a month by using WhatsApp instead of SMS to stay in touch with friends and relatives in other towns.
• Let your child learn English for free by watching educational videos on YouTube.
• Have you heard of Sudoku? It’s a free game that can train your logical thinking skills.

In Nigeria, as well as other emerging markets, new consumers responded best to visual marketing as opposed to text-heavy promotions.  However, new users are reluctant to use data to play videos or download images, especially if they do not know how doing so will benefit them. Industry players should consider making onboarding content available without data charges. This small up-front investment is likely to pay off by converting text-only users to data consumers.

Finding: Nigerians fear misinformation and lack of privacy

For some Nigerians, negative perceptions of the internet have kept them offline. Many new users struggle to differentiate between truthful and false news sites, so they stay away from online news altogether. Financial scams, mainly through WhatsApp, are also a major concern.

First-time internet users are often unaware of privacy settings, so they fear that having a phone will allow them to be tracked and easily found. This is especially dangerous for women, who worry that online harassers will be able to discover their location.

Recommendation: Help customers filter content and configure privacy settings

Mobile carriers and shop owners can start at the source by helping customers set up privacy settings before they leave the store. Showing users how to block unwanted messages and remove explicit content from their social feeds helps them feel safer online.

By promoting educational resources such as Free Basics or the Life app by KaiOS, industry players can combat negative views of the internet. It’s also important to design—or encourage others to design—user-friendly products for consumers with lower digital literacy levels. For example, limiting the use of technology jargon while prioritizing visual content over text can make devices more accessible for new users. Features such as simplified websites, content in local languages, and easy-to-use menus allow new users to feel more confident using mobile phones.

Purchasing devices and data

Overall, participants responded positively to the idea of buying their first internet-enabled phone or replacing existing mobile phones with superior models. Where and how they purchase devices, however, depended heavily on their sometimes inaccurate perceptions of security, the availability of warranties, and the affordability of the device.

Finding: Nigerians prefer to pay in cash and make purchases at phone shops

Mistrust in online payment systems, fear of fraud, and difficulty setting up payment plans result in 80% of respondents using cash to purchase phones. Mobile money usage in Nigeria has increased in recent years, but for big-ticket items like phones, people stick with cash because it’s the most familiar method.

Nigerians purchase devices through three main avenues: phone shops, authorized dealer shops, and open markets.

Our study shows that phone shops were the preferred avenue because respondents believed phone shops offered original phones (as opposed to knock-offs sometimes sold in markets), more choices, competitive prices, and warranties.

“People now prefer going to stores where you get exactly what you want, you know that these people are not scamming you, this is a company, you know that this is their branch, so whatever happens to your phone at the time of guarantee you can always come back and complain and they will now follow up.”

Authorized dealers suffer the incorrect perceptions that they offer fewer options and no warranties. Open markets are the least trusted due to the perceived risk of fake phones.

Recommendation: Advertise the availability of warranties and original devices

Nigerians often incorrectly assume only manufacturers can offer original devices and warranties. To encourage purchases through other avenues, mobile shops and carriers should leverage visual ads that show off a variety of phone options and clearly display warranty offers.

Accountability is key. Retail staff should be trained to fully explain warranties and the types of follow-up services the shop offers. When new users know that they can come back to the seller with any issues or questions, they are more likely to make a purchase.

Finding: New users tend to buy small data packages even if the cost per MB is higher

New users often have low and/or unstable income, so they rely on friends and family to purchase phones and data bundles for them. These purchases are either given as gifts or meant to be repaid with money or bartering.

Phones and data are also sometimes seen as communal. It’s not uncommon for families to share devices or for people to borrow phones to check social media or get online.

Regardless of who pays for the data, Nigerians generally prefer to buy smaller data bundles, despite the higher cost per MB. First-time users often have a limited understanding of how data packages are priced and how data is consumed, so they struggle to maintain consistent data usage.

As a result, small data packages are purchased early in the month and quickly depleted. As many new consumers live paycheck to paycheck and do not yet recognize the internet as a necessity, replenishing data is not a priority.

This may also be why Nigerians use the internet “on demand,” meaning they do not let apps run in the background or keep data turned on when they are not actively using the internet.

Recommendation: Use simpler language and clearly explain bundle options

First-time internet users prefer simple explanations of what they are paying for. Carriers that introduce more creative pricing models that appeal to these new consumers will have more success in selling data packages.

For example, offering pricing based on time or a specific service rather than volume (MB/GB) makes the internet seem more accessible and user-friendly. Nigerians may be more willing to buy data in forms such as one hour of unlimited browsing per day or unlimited WhatsApp usage for a flat rate. Globe Telecom had great success with this strategy – its data service revenue went up 17% two years after introducing data-free YouTube videos.

Industry players should also consider leveraging free data to build data usage habits. Telecommunications company, MTN, uses this tactic by surprising users with free bonus data. Not only do these freebies generate excitement, they encourage users to explore the internet without the fear of overspending.

Providing free data promotions along with pricing transparency is a great way to build trust in new markets. New users worry about their data consumption and how much it will cost them, so services such as daily spend limits or warnings when data is running out will be well-received.

Internet and device usage

Limited experience with the internet often results in a narrow view of all it has to offer. We found that both urban and rural respondents who claimed to use the internet regularly still stuck to very basic online activities.

New users learn from their social circle, which leads to a limited view of the internet

While 82% of respondents claimed to have experience using an internet-enabled phone, only 32% mentioned surfing the internet or using instant messaging apps as one of their top three phone uses. This suggests that internet usage is not yet a core daily activity in Nigerian households.

Experienced internet users in developed markets are quick to Google how to do something, but new users turn to people they know personally and feel they can trust. Unfortunately, this means new users only learn what their communities can teach them.

Lack of knowledge causes Nigerians to use their internet-enabled phones in a limited way. Without exposure to activities like downloading apps, setting up online accounts, using web browsers, or making video calls, new users never learn all the internet has to offer them.

Improve digital literacy with welcome packs and in-store training

New users need ways to build their digital skills and expand their understanding of their phones and mobile internet. Creating “welcome packs” that include bite-sized content such as video guides and walk-throughs can enable consumers to learn, both before and after they make a purchase.

Digital skills welcome packs should come pre-loaded on consumer phones and be available on demo devices in-store. Pre-loaded video content appeals both to users with low literacy levels and to the data-conscious who may hesitate to use their data to look up guides.

Retail staff play an important role as well. Staff should be trained and incentivized to teach new users the basic capabilities of internet-enabled phones and the internet in general. When members of the community become well-trained employees, they can become a trusted source for all tech-related questions and issues.

While educating customers may lengthen the sales process, the time investment will pay off. When new customers have a better understanding of what mobile internet can do, they will use more data.

Internet access challenges

Limited network coverage and access to electricity are serious concerns for Nigerian consumers.

Nigerians practice “SIM Swapping” to work around poor network coverage

Many Nigerians have multiple SIM cards and practice “SIM swapping.” Switching out SIM cards allows users to access different networks so they can shop around for the best coverage. It also helps them take advantage of limited-time promotions from various carriers.

Increase network coverage and stability

If mobile carriers invest in increasing network coverage and migrating 2G connections to 3G and 4G, they can gain a loyal customer base.

Reliable 3G and 4G coverage would prevent SIM swapping and keep users on the preferred network. Mobile carriers with a reputation for great network stability and coverage can benefit from higher revenue generated from voice and data usage as well.

Only 54% of the Nigerian population has electricity in the home

Battery life is a significant concern and charging phones can be an issue. Some users own multiple devices so they can switch phones when one runs out of battery power. Similarly, smartphone owners often use basic phones for calls and texts so they can preserve their smartphone battery for internet access.

Teach consumers about battery life and power-saving options

In Nigeria, long battery life should be prioritized as a key selling point. Many new consumers could be persuaded to purchase a smart feature phone if they knew certain models boast a battery life of several days, whereas smartphone batteries hardly make it to the end of the day.

Mobile carriers and shops should also educate new users about power-saving tips like adjusting screen brightness, and introduce them to power banks that can be used as backup power sources.

Bring internet to the “giant of Africa”

Nigeria is poised for increased mobile connectivity, but much work is still needed in user education to ensure people make the most of their internet access.

We will use this research to further improve our own products for first-time internet users in Nigeria, and hope it will be beneficial to you and others as well. We will also continue to conduct similar research in Nigeria and other countries and will share our findings here on the KaiOS blog.

Special thanks to Afriscaper (link: https://afriscaper.com/) for helping us carrying out the survey part of the research projects, and providing localized expertise in the Nigerian market.

The post First-time internet users in Nigeria use the internet in a unique way. Here’s why that matters. appeared first on KaiOS.

Take Africa, for example. As of 2014, 66% of the adult population in sub-Saharan Africa remained “unbanked.” Although traditional banks exist in this area, unaffordable banking fees, mistrust of financial institutions, and a lack of understanding of internet banking options keep Africans outside of the banking system.

Smart feature phones are increasing financial inclusion by creating opportunities for the unbanked.

What does it mean to be unbanked?

The term “unbanked” describes anyone who does not have a bank account or any services tied to a banking institution, such as a debit or credit card. The unbanked rely on cash payments and are often unable to plan for their financial future.

As of June 2018, over 1.7 billion adults worldwide did not have access to a bank account. Unbanked populations are particularly large in Low-to-Middle Income Countries (LMICs):

What causes someone to remain unbanked?

While there are many reasons that someone might be unbanked, it often boils down to a few main causes.

1. Lack of knowledge or access

Opening a bank account is a bureaucratic process requiring paperwork that may be difficult to understand, particularly in areas with low literacy rates. Plus, banks require proof of a stable income to open an account, but any people in emerging markets do not have formal jobs or stable salaries.

Access to physical bank locations is a common issue as well. Residents of rural communities are forced to travel long distances while carrying large amounts of cash just to reach a bank.

2. Cost

Traveling to reach faraway banks is not just inconvenient but also costly. In addition to the price of using public transportation, people must also absorb the losses caused by missing hours or even days of work due to the time spent in transit.

Even if banks are physically accessible, the cost of keeping a bank account open can be enough to put them out of reach of many locals. Unfortunately, banks in developing countries are known for charging predatory fees for everything from printing a bank statement to completing a basic transaction.

3. Mistrust

Financial institutions are sometimes assumed guilty of embezzlement or fraud, which creates a lack of trust in the entire system. As such, many people feel that their money is more secure under a mattress in their own homes rather than in a bank.

Online banking is also clouded with mistrust. The fear of having a bank account hacked or losing money during an online transaction makes people wary of using online banking services.

Smart feature phones make mobile money accessible

Mobile money, aka mobile financial services (MFS), allows users to send, receive, and store money without needing a bank account. Funds are stored in a secure electronic account attached to a mobile phone number. However, because mobile money requires an internet connection, customers need more than a basic cell phone to take advantage of it.

Enter the smart feature phone, which offers mobile internet connectivity at a fraction of the cost of a touchscreen smartphone. And starting in 2020, KaiOS-powered smart feature phones will allow users to receive money, contribute to their personal savings, and even manage business finances — all with mobile money services.

Currently, Africa is the number one adopter of mobile money, followed by South Asia and Latin America. We have several regional partnerships in Africa that make smart feature phones available for as little as $20 and are working to bring similarly priced devices to additional markets.

Lives around the world are already being positively affected by mobile money.

MiCash leverages financial literacy education to gain mobile money customers in Papua New Guinea

Only 15-20% of Papua New Guinea’s population has access to financial services. In 2012, Nationwide Microbank set out to address the unbanked by launching MiCash.
MiCash leverages financial literacy education to gain new mobile money customers. In an effort to better serve residents of villages and rural towns, Nationwide invests in below-the-line (BTL) marketing campaigns. Their efforts involve visiting plantations and rural districts to educate people, especially women, about mobile money and the importance of financial planning.

Through their free financial literacy training, Nationwide teaches locals about the benefits of using MFS and explains how to open a mobile money account. Thanks in part to this comprehensive training, 90% of MiCash accounts are active each month.

MiCash ambassadors also help spread the word. As Nationwide is particularly interested in supporting financial autonomy for women, they recruit female ambassadors from south of Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby. Ambassadors are active MiCash users who are brought to villages north of the capital to teach the locals all about the advantages of mobile money and how to start using it.

Operator wallets provide an alternative to cash transactions

Operator wallets, also called mobile wallets, are in-house apps run by Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) that enable phones to be used to store, send, or receive money. They provide a convenient and secure alternative to cash transactions. Millions of unbanked people are able to improve their financial situation thanks to services such as bill payment, savings accounts, and international money transfers.

Tigo Money serves the unbanked in Bolivia

Mobile penetration in Bolivia is 95%, but 60% of the population remains unbanked, making it an ideal area to introduce a mobile money service.

When Tigo Money launched in 2012, it offered cash-in, cash-out, person-to-person (P2P) transfers, as well as the ability to top up airtime minutes. Eventually, they added bill payment and ecommerce payment options as well. By June 2017, Tigo Money had reached 428,000 active users.

They’ve already spread to new areas. Tigo recently announced the launch of the KaiOS-powered Kitochi 4G smart in Tanzania, which will be sold for $21 USD and will provide access to Tigo Money services.

Orange Money drives economic growth in 17 countries

When Orange Money launched in 2008, it focused on money transfers and mobile phone top-ups. Now, Orange Money allows 40 million customers across 17 countries to make international money transfers, pay bills, and send and receive wage payments.

Before Orange Money, many families had to travel long distances to deliver cash to relatives. Now, families in several African countries can purchase Orange’s KaiOS-powered phones for $20 (3G) or $28 (4G) and then transfer funds with the touch of a button.

The ecommerce industry has benefitted as well. In the past, e-commerce businesses have struggled to make online sales because many Africans fear credit card fraud. However, Orange Money is now a trusted alternative to credit cards and has helped boost ecommerce throughout the continent. It has also begun offering loans and savings services to customers in Mali and Madagascar and has partnered with Canal+ TV to allow users to pay for TV subscriptions with Orange Money.

Mowali enables mobile money transfers across multiple providers

A partnership between MTN and Orange resulted in a versatile mobile money solution called Mowali, which is derived from “mobile wallet interoperability.” By making it possible to transfer money between different operators, Mowali essentially connects 338 million mobile money accounts across the African continent.

Interoperability allows users to make online and in-person purchases, regardless of the vendor’s mobile money operator. The objective of this impressive project is to promote the everyday use of mobile money for everything from person-to-person transfers to ecommerce.

Keep up with KaiOS

We are passionate about bridging the digital divide and allowing the next billion users to enjoy all the benefits of mobile connectivity. Follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with our work as we forge new partnerships, receive creative content from developers, and share stories of how mobile internet and smart feature phones can improve lives around the world.

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In developing countries, many people have had little to no exposure to websites, apps, or even text messages. They may never have typed a query into Google, made a video call to see the face of a faraway relative, or searched for a job online. If they don’t know what they are missing, you can’t ask them to pay to find out.
Giving new mobile phone users free data is an investment in future customers.

Free mobile data marketing campaigns attract new customers

Whether you are attracting first-time users or winning over your competitors’ customers, offering free data is a great way to garner attention. While it’s difficult to get someone to buy something they do not understand, “try before you buy” campaigns can win over even the most skeptical consumers.

This marketing tactic is also a great way to encourage existing mobile phone users to switch to your service. They may come for the free data, but they will stay once you prove your worth, even if it means they upgrade to a paid service.

U.S. mobile network operator (MNO) Sprint had great success with this strategy. They offered unlimited data for a year for new customers switching from other plans. One of the YouTube videos promoting the deal reached 539,000 views on the first day.

Other “freemium” services, such as Slack and Spotify, have proved this approach successful as well. Both companies provide complimentary access to some of their features and allow users to test the premium options for free for a limited time (hence the term “freemium). Once tested, the premium features are tough to give up, so it’s easier to convince users to keep them by upgrading. In fact, Slack converts 30% of their free users to paying customers. In the third quarter of 2019, Spotify also increased their premium users by 31%.

Data offers that build internet usage habits

The key to an ever-growing customer base is keeping users interested. Give people a sample of mobile internet and they’ll be hungry for more.

Free data for new users

In late 2017, the Indian telecommunications company Reliance Jio launched a smart feature phone running KaiOS called the JioPhone. To generate excitement and convince locals to give the new device a try, the company offered generous free data packages. By the end of March 2018, they had signed up 100 million new subscribers, 72 million of which became paid users.

Reliance Jio has continued to offer free data through promotions, including up to 2GB per day during festival season, and up to 16GB free on the JioPhone’s second anniversary. Each additional promo leads to a surge of new users, most of which turn into paying customers.

Since Jio’s launch, India’s data usage has skyrocketed. India is now among the top 10 countries for mobile data consumption. Previously, India was #155. Clearly, once new users are exposed to the benefits of mobile connectivity, they are willing to pay to maintain their access.

Zero-rated data

Zero-rated services allow users access to specific content or websites (including social media networks) without it counting against data plans.
Providing zero-rated versions of content is a clever way to encourage people to build mobile internet habits. By removing the financial investment barrier, you can draw in new customers with free access to popular apps and services such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Wikipedia. Once newly connected consumers experience a small section of the internet, they inevitably want more.

To test this theory, an MNO offered users in eight developing countries access to Free Basics by Facebook. As a result, the majority of the users purchased plans to access more websites and watch videos online. A total of 63% ended up paying for data, with 28% switching completely to paid data and 35% using a mix of free and paid services.
Free Basics by Facebook has proved successful in countries all around the world. As Facebook works with MNOs to provide zero-rated versions of informational websites, people in emerging markets discover the advantages of mobile internet and are convinced to pay for broader access. In fact, over 50% of Free Basics users begin paying for data within 30 days.

Sponsored data

MNOs partner with brands and content creators to give users free data packages that can only be used for the sponsored content. These mutually beneficial partnerships allow MNOs to win over customers while sponsors get their content in front of a wider audience.

To entice existing customers to upgrade their plans, South African telecommunications company MTN teamed up with YouTube to provide bonus data specifically for YouTube. The offer includes 20GB of free YouTube data, which could easily translate to up to 20 hours of YouTube video streaming.

U.S. mobile carriers Verizon and AT&T offer ongoing sponsored data programs. Verizon’s program, FreeBee, is a curated collection of content marked with a bee icon to let users know that they will not incur data charges for viewing it. AT&T, on the other hand, relies on the sponsors to notify customers of any sponsored data offers.

Another U.S. mobile carrier, T-Mobile, provides a similar service called “Binge On.” Customers with certain plans receive data-free access to popular music and video streaming sites like Spotify, Netflix, and YouTube. Binge On also includes content in categories such as gaming, news, and sports.
Both limited-time and ongoing sponsored data efforts reel users in with engaging content and keep them hooked on using more mobile data.

Change their lives so you can change their minds

For people who have a limited understanding of the benefits of mobile internet, getting online may seem like an unnecessary expense. But the combination of initially free data packages and complimentary access to a variety of resources can shift their perspective.

Although people may start with social media sites and movies, users will quickly realize there are many life-changing resources at their fingertips as well. When they discover educational resources on zero-rated Wikipedia or through sponsored YouTube data, they’ll be motivated to explore more of what the internet has to offer.

Perhaps they’ll use it to further their education, manage their finances, or improve their health. Regardless, they’re bound to recognize that the mobile internet is a valuable resource worth paying for. With the help of zero-rated informational websites and resources like the KaiOS Life initiative, MNOs can gain loyal paying customers.

Invest in the unconnected and they will invest in you

The GSMA predicts 170 million new mobile subscribers by 2025. With the help of mobile carriers, this number could be even higher in developing countries. It all starts by showing potential customers how they can benefit from mobile internet access.

When newly connected consumers get into the habit of turning to mobile internet for everything from furthering their education to managing their money, they quickly become loyal customers.

It’s time to invest in the next billion. Show them what they’re missing and your services will sell themselves.

To learn more about how you can partner with KaiOS and bring the internet to developing countries, contact us at partnerships@kaiostech.com.

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