Technology
Mobile penetration in Africa reaches 80%
LAGOS, Nigeria -There are 960 million mobile subscriptions across Africa – an 80% penetration rate among the continent’s population. Internet penetration is at 18% with 216 million internet users, according to the latest Jumia mobile trend report for Africa.
The 2017 edition of the African Mobile Trends Paper is the third white paper presentation from Jumia delving into mobile trends across Africa and specifically Nigeria. The study takes a look at the how the market has democratised mobile internet use, the consumer behaviours driving increased smartphone adoption and the role of mobile brands, mobile operators and m-commerce in creating a synergy of an enhanced customer experience.
This year’s Mobile Africa Study was carried out in 15 African countries which generate more than 80% of Africa’s GDP: Algeria, Nigeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Mozambique, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Senegal.
Africa mobile, internet penetration
There are 960 million mobile subscriptions across Africa – an 80% penetration rate among the continent’s population. Internet penetration is at 18% with 216 million internet users. While Nigeria’s internet penetration is much higher at 53%, its mobile subscription is similar to Africa’s at 81% penetration (150 million mobile subscriptions).
Like last year, it is presumed that the unique subscription rate is lower as each subscriber owns an average of two sim cards.
Nigeria: a mobile first nation
As predicted in 2016, Nigeria continues its trajectory down the increasingly widening highway that is the mobile internet. With a current internet penetration rate of 53% (97.2 million users) Nigeria has a much higher penetration rate than across Africa (18%).
About 71% of website visitors on Jumia use their mobile phones. This is in comparison to 53% of Jumia African customers. One of the main vehicles of this mobile trajectory is the increasing adoption of the smartphone device by consumers.
As predicted in the Jumia 2016 report, smartphone adoption continues to rise in Nigeria. The mobile phone category continues to be the most popular among Nigerian shoppers on Jumia, both in terms of the number of items sold, and in terms of revenue generated. The sales of smartphones jumped up by 394% between 2014 and 2016, mostly driven by an increasing range of smartphones price points.
eCommerce and the diversification of smartphones
The average price for a smartphone on Jumia is $117, down from $216 in 2014. Correlating with this is a drop in the share of sales of basic feature phones from 6% in 2015 to 4% in 2016, even as the share of smartphones on the website increased.
In 2016 Chinese mobile brands held dominance and played a major role in introducing smartphones with lower price points. Infinix, Innjoo, Tecno, Samsung and Yezz are the top five smartphone brands in terms of sales on Jumia.
Infinix continues to be Africa’s top smartphone brand across Jumia’s 15 markets. One of their entry level smartphones, the Infinix Hot4Lite was one of the best-selling phones across several African markets including Nigeria.
High data costs and lower performance smartphones
Currently, one out of two mobile visitors in Nigeria are coming from the Jumia mobile app
The increased access and affordability of low specification smartphones has also revealed a need for the mobile ecosystem to respond with data-efficient browsers and mobile apps that are optimised for performance and an easy user experience.
Looking at the mobile internet browsers that customers use to access Jumia, 50% of customers in Africa come onto Jumia’s mobile site with Google Chrome. In Nigeria that number is just 28%. Instead, the Opera mini browser is much more popular, with 41% of the mobile traffic to Jumia Nigeria coming from Opera mini.
One reason for this could be that countries with higher levels of income have been found to have more users accessing the internet with heavier browsers like chrome – which typically have higher system requirements.
In 2016 Chinese mobile brands held dominance and played a major role in introducing smartphones with lower price points.
Opera mini is a lighter browser in terms of data usage and is popular among new mobile internet users who have lower incomes and can’t afford costly internet data packs. A recent report from Opera determined the savings on mobile data costs for Opera mini users in Nigeria has amounted to about $198 million (N39.5 billion) over a 10-month period, due to its data compression technology. This is a clear example of the ripple effect that customer enjoy when a slight change is introduced by one of the digital ecosystem players.
For Jumia, an immediate key priority is to enhance the desktop user experience (which accounts for almost 30% of Jumia’s traffic and almost 40% of orders placed), by delivering a progressive web application that bridges the gap between conventional web pages and native mobile applications. This is to give customers a faster web and desktop experience that includes functionalities like push notifications and the ability to browse while offline.
mCommerce – beyond browsing on mobile
The trend since 2013 was for people to use their mobile phones to browse and look up products and then purchase them on their desktop. Now customers are checking out and paying for orders from the mobile app or the mobile friendly version of the website. This is a trend we foresee growing in the future based on the current figures.
Mobile customers (both those who use the Jumia app and those who browse from mobile browsers) account for 63% of all orders on Jumia Nigeria. Across the 15 markets where the study was carried out, that figure is at 47%.
With a whopping 2,236,000 Jumia app downloads from 2015 to 2016 (a 128% increase), Jumia app users form a significant portion of the mobile traffic on Jumia Nigeria. Currently, one out of two mobile visitors in Nigeria are coming from the Jumia mobile app.
The highest conversion rate recorded in the last year has been on the app. That is the number of completed orders in relation to the number of visitors is higher on the mobile app than on the mobile or desktop versions of the website. This could be driven by the fact that the app is exclusively designed for mobile and therefore has a faster and better shopping experience for users.
Hence, the priority for mcommerce for the next few years is to continually democratise the usage of the app and incentivise an increase in usage by maintaining a better browsing experience and lower data consumption.
Strategic collaborations
Strategic collaborations with phone operators and data providers are also a key factor for enhancing customer experience. For example, the zero data usage (free browsing) offered to MTN sim card owners when they browse on both the Jumia mobile site and the app will remain a key feature and value-added service for Jumia customers.
Nigeria’s mobile trends for 2017 are positive with a steady growth of smartphones adoption and diversity. These increased offerings deliver more value for customers and cheaper access to internet connectivity.
As smartphone brands and mobile operators continue to invest in research and development and innovative data packages, and ecommerce providers invest in customer service, logistics and marketing over the next few years, Jumia’s outlook is for an even more synergised digital ecosystem over the next few years.
Source:bizcommunity
LG Electronics (LG) has made significant strides in the global market with its innovative brand strategies, earning its place as a top global brand.
On October 10, LG was ranked 97th with a brand value of approximately USD 6.5 billion in the Best Global Brands 2024 report by global brand consulting firm Interbrand.
Interbrand’s evaluation of the Best Global Brands assesses brand value through a comprehensive analysis of a company’s financial performance, role of brand and brand strength. Factors such as direction, engagement and relevance are considered. As a pioneer in the industry, Interbrand’s ISO-certified evaluation criteria are widely regarded as the most reliable methodology in branding and marketing.
LG’s brand value has surged, reflecting significant improvements in both business and brand competitiveness compared to the previous year. LG’s brand value increased by a substantial 38.7 percent year-over-year, receiving high scores in the categories of role of brand and brand strength.
Interbrand attributes this positive assessment to LG’s clear vision as a Smart Life Solution Company and its sustained growth through the exploration of new opportunities. The company has also adapted its brand strategies to ensure consistent customer engagement across diverse regions and generations, utilizing communication methods that resonate with audiences both online and offline.
In July of last year, LG unveiled its vision to evolve into a “Smart Life Solution Company,” enhancing customer experiences across various environments, including homes, commercial spaces, mobility and virtual realms. Since embarking on its transformation, LG’s brand value has skyrocketed. From approximately USD 3.1 billion in 2022, it has more than doubled to about USD 6.5 billion in 2024.
Interbrand has also praised LG’s “Brand Reinvent” initiative, which aims to establish LG as a youthful and dynamic brand that resonates with customers across generations and regions.
To achieve this, LG has unified its brand message under the brand promise of “Life’s Good,” ensuring it is embraced by all organizations globally and integrated into every customer touch point of brand experience. This includes redefining its brand identity and visual expression. “Life’s Good” encapsulates the brand’s mission to help everyone savor life’s precious moments through its products, services and communications. In the digital realm, the brand symbol “Face of the Future” engages customers with a friendly smile and wink, fostering a sense of connection through various digital expressions.
In addition, LG is launching brand campaigns and pop-up events that invite future customers, particularly Generation Z, to engage both online and offline.
The global campaign “Optimism your feed” aims to spread positivity through online algorithms, encouraging a better life with an optimistic outlook. This initiative garnered significant attention, amassing over 1.8 billion views within two months of its launch on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
Moreover, LG is going to keep enhancing its engagement with Generation Z by creating offline customer experience spaces that reflect young customers’ interests, such as lifestyle, games and music.
LG has previously been recognized as one of the top 100 global brands for three consecutive years from 2005 to 2007.
“We are transforming from a leading home appliance and consumer electronics company into a Smart Life Solution Company. As part of this transformation, we’ve initiated our brand reinvention based on our long-standing promise, ‘Life’s Good,'” said William Cho, CEO of LG Electronics. “At this historical moment of business transformation, we are proud to be recognized as one of the top 100 global brands, a testament to our strong brand presence and growth potential.”
Technology
LG WashTower: A high-performance, space-saving laundry solution designed for today’s urban households
As global demand grows for sustainable living, energy efficiency, and minimalist design, companies are reshaping their product offerings to stay competitive and meet consumer expectations. At the forefront of this shift in the home appliance market is LG Electronics with its cutting-edge WashTower – a high-performance, space-saving laundry solution designed for today’s urban households.
Boasting advanced features, large capacities, and innovative technology, the WashTower is more than just a washer-dryer combo – it’s a game changer for those seeking efficiency, smart connectivity, and excellent cleaning performance.
Ideal for compact spaces, the LG WashTower’s slim, vertical design fits seamlessly into small laundry rooms or closets without sacrificing performance. Standing at 1655mm tall and 600mm wide, it offers ample capacity—13kg in the washer and 10kg in the dryer – perfect for large loads like bedding or towels, all while saving valuable floor space.
The 2024 LG WashTower™ is a revolutionary solution that aligns perfectly with Nigeria’s vision for modern, sustainable living,” said Oktae Kim, Product Director, Home Appliance Division, LG Electronics Nigeria. “Its space-saving design and advanced features cater to the unique needs of our customers in the country, setting a new benchmark for laundry care.”
Unlike traditional stacked units with controls in hard-to-reach places, the LG WashTower™ introduces an all-in-one control panel designed to simplify laundry care. With the TurboWash 360, DUAL Inverter Heat Pump™ Dryer, Auto Cleaning Condenser, and LG ThinQ™ connectivity, the WashTower™ enhances functionality and convenience, meeting the demands of modern, fast-paced lifestyles.
Some of its most impressive features include:
Built-in Intelligence Takes Out the Guesswork
When it comes to doing laundry, one out of two consumers default to the Normal Cycle on their washers and dryers because they simply don’t know which to choose. LG WashTower takes out the guesswork with built-in intelligence that uses sensors to detect fabric texture and load size, and then automatically selects the right wash motions, temperatures, and more for precision fabric care.
And it gets smarter: WashTower will even learn your preferred settings. Simply activate Smart Learner in the LG ThinQ® app, and it will remember your ideal wash temperature, spin speed, or dry level. With Smart Pairing™, the washer can even tell the dryer the right compatible drying cycle, making LG WashTower the ultimate laundry hack.
Help Remove Allergens in Fabrics
LG washers are the industry’s first to be CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The Allergens™ wash cycle goes beyond everyday cleaning, using the gentle power of steam to remove common household allergens in fabrics by more than 95 percent. In addition, LG TurboSteam™ technology in the dryer helps sanitize and refresh clothes in between washes as well as children’s toys, decorative pillows and more.
Exceptional Cleaning and Drying Performance
With steam function in the washer and heat pump in the dryer, the WashTower effectively sanitizes clothes and removes wrinkles, which is a boon for those with allergies or sensitive skin. Its durable, never-rust stainless steel drum ensures long-lasting reliability, and the absence of an agitator means it’s gentle on delicate fabrics. The dryer starts to preheat before the end of washing, so drying takes less time. With the Dual Inverter Heat Pump™, an energy-saving way to dry, the dual cylinders allow for faster drying and energy saving.
Laundry Made Better – for You and the Planet
Designed with energy efficiency in mind, the LG WashTower includes energy monitoring capabilities, helping consumers save money while helping the planet. ENERGY STAR certified washers and dryers use 25 percent less energy and 33 percent less water than traditional models.
Verdict: A Smart, Stylish Choice
The LG WashTower stands as a top contender in the world of washer-dryer combos, offering a perfect blend of technology, performance, and space-saving design. With no drawbacks, the WashTower’s overall functionality, energy efficiency, and convenience make it a strong choice for families and individuals alike.
If you’re looking for a washer-dryer combo that combines smart technology with stylish design, the LG Wash Tower is a reliable, high-performing option.
The LG WashTower™ strengthens LG’s position as a leading innovator in the home appliance sector. With its cutting-edge technology and user-friendly interface demonstrates LG’s dedication to shaping the future of home appliances. It’s more than just a product – it’s a testament to LG’s vision of bringing convenience, efficiency, and sustainability into every home.
For more information or to purchase the LG WashTower, visit https://www.lg.com/africa/washing-machines/lg-wt1310rh
The launch of the LG InstaView refrigerator introduced a new era in home refrigeration, combining advanced technology, exceptional energy efficiency, and unmatched convenience to transform how households interact with their appliances. The LG InstaView Door-in-Door™ Refrigerator does more than just keep food fresh. It’s a perfect mix of modern technology and everyday usefulness, taking cooking to a whole new level of sophistication and ease.
“At the core of the LG InstaView Refrigerator is the Inverter Linear Compressor, a ground-breaking technology that delivers remarkable energy efficiency,” says Oktae Kim, Product Director, Home Appliance Division, LG Electronics Nigeria. By adapting its cooling power to the refrigerator’s needs, this compressor minimizes power consumption, helping reduce energy bills while also contributing to a quieter kitchen. For long-term peace of mind, LG offers a 10-year warranty on the compressor, reinforcing its durability and reliability.
“One of the standout features of this fridge is the InstaView Door-in-Door™ technology. With just two knocks on the sleek glass panel, you can see inside the fridge without opening the door, helping preserve cold air and keeping your food fresher for longer. This not only adds a touch of modern elegance but also helps reduce energy consumption by limiting unnecessary door openings” he noted.
Some other key features in the LG InstaView Door-in-Door™ Refrigerator include;
A New Level of Convenience: Door-in-Door™ Access
The Door-in-Door™ compartment offers even greater convenience by allowing easy access to frequently used items like drinks and snacks. Instead of rummaging through the entire fridge, you can grab your essentials quickly and effortlessly. This feature also limits cold air loss, making it both a time-saver and an energy-efficient solution for busy households.
Purified Hydration: UVnano® Water Dispenser
Staying hydrated has never been more convenient or hygienic. The UVnano® water dispenser uses UV light to eliminate up to 99.999% of bacteria from the water outlet, ensuring that every sip is clean and safe. The self-cleaning cycle can be activated automatically or manually, making this feature both functional and reassuring for users who prioritize health.
Hygiene Fresh+™: A Breath of Fresh Air
Maintaining an odour-free refrigerator has never been easier thanks to Hygiene Fresh+™ technology. This system actively removes bacteria and unpleasant smells, circulating clean air throughout the fridge. With a 99.999% bacteria removal rate, your food remains fresh and healthy, while the built-in deodorization feature ensures that strong odour, like leftovers, never linger.
Even Cooling Every Time: DoorCooling+™ Technology
No more worrying about uneven cooling inside your fridge. The DoorCooling+™ feature ensures that every inch of the refrigerator is consistently cooled by placing air vents at the front of the appliance. This technology helps food stay fresh and evenly chilled, even in the door compartments, enhancing the quality and shelf life of your groceries.
Smart Control with ThinQ™ Technology
In the age of smart homes, LG takes convenience one step further with ThinQ™ technology. This feature allows users to control and monitor the refrigerator from their smartphones, whether at home or on the go. With just a few taps, you can adjust the temperature, activate Hygiene Fresh+™, or even diagnose potential issues, making maintenance and operation effortless.
Proven Benefits: Energy Savings, Convenience, and Hygiene
When it comes to pros, the LG InstaView Refrigerator excels in several areas. Its energy efficiency through the Smart Inverter Compressor and InstaView technology helps reduce environmental impact while cutting down on household energy bills. The convenience provided by the Door-in-Door™ feature, combined with the peace of mind from UVnano® and Hygiene Fresh+™ technologies, ensures that families have access to fresh, clean, and organized food storage.
Verdict
The LG InstaView refrigerator is a perfect blend of advanced technology, innovative design, and health-conscious features. From linear cooling that keeps food fresh to the Hygiene Fresh+ filtration system that ensures a clean storage environment, this fridge has everything you need for modern food preservation. Add to that the convenience of the Knock-Knock feature and the health benefits of UVnano, you have a refrigerator that truly stands out.
If you’re looking for a premium appliance that delivers freshness, hygiene, and style, the LG InstaView refrigerator is a worthy investment.
The LG InstaView Door-in-Door™ Refrigerator is available across Fouani showrooms and Dealer stores Nationwide. It’s a must-have for modern kitchens thanks to its many useful features.
For more information about the LG InstaView Refrigerator, visit https://www.lg.com/africa/instaview-door-in-door-refrigerators
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