impact of the mobile internet in africa vs uk

Impact of Africa’s Mobile Internet Revolution

Photo: Maureen Didde

Source: On Device Research, survey of mobile internet users Countries: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, n=1500, October 2014

Mobile internet is genuinely improving the lives of people in Africa A recent survey in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and the UK showed that access to the mobile internet has a life changing impact on majority of respondents.

68% 62% 61%

41%

Kenya Nigeria South Africa UK

Mobile internet has made a “great improvement” on my life

O The importance of mobile (internet)

Step change vs incremental improvement – for many African’s

mobile is the way to access online services and resources. It is

impossible to overestimate the impact that mobile phones and the

mobile internet is having on the continent.

In comparison, for people in the UK mobile was just another way

to access info and services already available on their computers.

O This report presents findings from research with 2,000 mobile

internet users in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and the UK. Key

aspect of the study was to compare the effects of mobile

internet between developing and developed markets.

The study was conducted by On Device Research, a mobile

research company, in October 2014 with a representative sample

of mobile internet users in each country.

On Device Research uses the mobile internet to gain access to consumer opinions at any time or place. The company has conducted over 20 million surveys in 75 countries, and has offices in London, Dubai and Singapore.

UK Population: 64 million

GPD per capita: $39,350

Nigeria Population: 155 million GDP per capita: $3,010

Kenya Population: 44 million GDP per capita: $994

South Africa Population: 53 million GDP per capita: $6,617

Kenya Nigeria South Africa

Popula'on 44 million 155 million 53 million

Internet penetra'on 47% 38% 49%

Mobile penetra'on 70% 72% 133%

Smartphone penetra'on 31% 29% 47%

Urban dwellers 25% 50% 62%

Sources: GSMA Intelligence, Internet World Stats, Strategy Analytics, World Bank

How exactly has mobile internet “greatly improved” people’s lives in Africa?

Better access to education

More connected to the world

Easier to keep in touch with friends and

family

Better access to entertainment

(music, games, movies)

Easier to pay bills

w # S > <

! h


Brits, in comparison, named only 2 things that have “greatly improved” their lives

Easier to find places using maps

n Easier to keep in touch with friends and family

h Source: On Device Research, survey of mobile internet users Countries: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, n=1500, October 2014

Africa UK Better access to education 4.42 3.70

I feel more connected to the world 4.41 3.86

Easier to keep in touch with friends and family 4.40 4.01

Better access to entertainment (music, games, movies) 4.38 3.95

Payments to businesses / pay bills 4.36 3.52

Easier to follow news 4.34 3.92

Send money to someone 4.29 3.71

Easier to find places using maps on the phone 4.28 4.19

Meeting new people and making friends 4.20 3.81

Easier to find health related info 4.15 3.89

Find work related info 4.14 3.45

Send airtime to someone 4.03 2.48

New ways to do business 4.02 3.74

Check bank balance 3.99 3.77

Africans rated 14 different attributes with an average of 4 or higher (on a 5-point scale) while Brits rated only two as having such a great impact on their lives.


Access to information provides a real improvement to people’s lives

66%

55% 62%

68%

56% 60% 58% 57%

50% 44%

33% 28%

Online learning / education Find work related info Use health & medical sites / apps

% of people that stated these provided a “great improvement”



The introduction of the mobile internet in Africa

is far more transformative than most people in

modern countries realise. It’s not just a slight

improvement, it’s a step change.

Alistair Hill CEO, On Device Research

Playing catch up Data speeds, cost, and network coverage combined with lower smartphone penetration means that use of maps, video and other data heavy and complex services, is significantly lower than in the UK. Maps available for some African countries aren’t exactly great either and the impact on usage is immediate.

n

20% 18%

36%

44%


On average, only 25% use maps for navigating in Africa (44% in the UK)


However, as people upgrade to smart-phones the usage of maps jumps up!

14% 12% 14%

28%

42% 48%


Maps usage by device type

Feature phone Smartphone


32%

48% 47%

60%

45%

66%

14%

44%

Feature phone Smartphone

Watching video clips

Using search O N Similar jump

is seen in other activities

as people upgrade to

smartphones


H < Biggest thing on mobile in Africa?

Listening to music!

Most popular activities on mobile

27%

28%

30%

33%

34%

36%

38%

45%

46%

46%

47%

52%

52%

54%

67%

Send money

Find jobs

Online learning

Listen to radio

Follow sports news

Local and global news

Watch short video clips

Check email

Instant messaging

Play games

Send airtime

Take photos

Search for information

Social media

Download / listen to music


Listen to music

Social media

Search Take photos

Send air5me

Play games

Instant messaging

Email Watch video

News Listen to radio

Online learning / educa5on

Find jobs

45%

50%

55%

60%

65%

19% 21% 23% 25% 27% 29%

% Over 2

5

% Female

Older people

Hig

her

% o

f wom

en

Size of the Bubble = Popularity


: Mobile internet beats TV…

Advertisers take note!

Mobile internet has become the largest media channel in Africa

Q. How often do you use the following media channels?

79% 63%

49% 34%

24%

13%

17%

19%

16% 19%

7% 16%

26%

34% 44%

Mobile internet TV Radio Desktop internet Read newspaper

Daily Several times a week Less often Never


82% 75%

63% 58%


Usage of mobile banking or payment services


Mass adoption of mobile money South Africa is lagging a bit but there’s still still significant adoption

56%

16%

49%

21%

11%

18%

51%

24%

16% 10%

13%

25%

35% 32%

14% 12% 9%

37%

7%

35%

17% 16% 10%

42%

Send airtime to someone

Check bank balance Send money to someone

Payments to businesses / pay bills

Buy or sell things with other people

None of these



w Africa – who’s online on their phone?

Nearly half of respondents only or mainly go online using their phones

45% only or mostly go online with their phones

40%

15%

22%

23%

Daily

Several times a week

Infrequently

Mobile-only internet users

Q. How often do you use internet on a computer?


46% went online for the first time on their phone in the past 2 years

Q. When did you first use your phone for online services?

29%

17% 24%

30% During the last year

1-2 years ago

2-5 years ago

Over 5 years ago


52%

38%

6% 4%

44% 45%

7% 4%

42% 38%

13% 7%

16-24 25-34 35-44 45+


Mobile internet users in Africa reflect the population

– they’re very young


Find out more + request data in Excel If you’d like to take a deeper look at the findings (including additional questions, data points and

gender splits), then get in touch!

Siim Teller, Head of Marketing [email protected] @teller +44 20 7278 6627

Global Mobile Panels & Research

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