The document discusses the expectations and desires of Nigerian mobile value-added service (VAS) customers, focusing on their demand for relevant, non-intrusive services and high-quality user experience. It outlines the roles of various stakeholders in the VAS ecosystem, including operators, regulators, and consumers, while highlighting gaps in the current offerings. Key recommendations include leveraging user data for personalized services, improving service quality, and ensuring customer choice and respect in the engagement process.

1. What does the Nigerian VAS
customer really want?
An interactive session substrate for the
West African telecoms Summit
Moovenpick hotel, Accra, Ghana
Simon Aderinlola
Co-Founder & Coordinating Consultant, WASPAN
4th April 2014

3. What a WASPA/WASPAN/WASPAG enables
in this space
Key visible structures:
– WASPA: South Africa
– WASPAN: Nigeria
– WASPAG: Ghana
Players:
• Operator: provider of channel, infrastructure and present lead on VAS commercials
• Regulator: a government-appointed rule-setter & enforcer, usually just VAS oversight
• mVAS players: positioned as best practices innovation incubators, handle last-mile
sourcing & filtering of new service possibilities. Adapt international launches to local
needs. Are also herders of mobile service launch ideas for B2B, G2C/G2P, M2P and B2C
• Mobile subscribers: the uncrowned kings of the value chain. Fuel the VAS eco-
system by paying for services, are more vulnerable, need education & protection.
• Government: holder of the whip as last arbiter & policy charting of the national ICT
& e-commerce agenda. Need help in seeing around the bend for policy creation
• The Association (e.g. Wireless Application Service Providers Association): advocacy,
policy shaping, encouragement of local content, audience education, consumer
protection & customer care, internal self-regulation & compliance, best practices

4. What services are being sold via mobile?
• Entertainment:
– Ringtones, wallpapers, Caller Ringback tunes, video ringtones, occasional brand promos
missing: educational trivia with prizes & TV drive, brand-powered entertainment apps, a
local Spotify. On the way: reverse RBT
• Health:
– Health tips, IVR callback lines missing: full monetization of content generated via Radio &
TV, HIV-AIDS assistance, prevention & advisory, DIY-user data entry via 2 way messaging
• Agric:
– Pre-, in- & post-season tips, input pricing, GES missing: value-chain support missing
(farm-to-export Tx stream management via mobile), live IVR ‘help-desking’
• Education:
– Exam tips (Nokia Life), e-books missing: a form of Summly (teenager portal bought by
Yahoo), a multi-skill performance grader app (modeled after multi-user gaming)
• Business/enterprise/informational:
– Occasional mega-promos are ‘crest-&-trough’ approaches missing: Business solution apps
don’t yet connect well with the populace. SA has leads the African continent in lifestyle &
informational subscription service volumes (much more than premium content downloads)
Some, but not enough…much more can yet happen(not)

5. How do you know the market you serve?
• Research (zero your assumptions, ask the right questions, run the right
numbers and pull inferences even if against your presumptions)
• Experiences (roll up your sleeves and get in the trenches)
• Experiences (learn from the global & regional, but be careful of cut-&-
paste)
Key learnings
• Vernacular services: go-local works (music, info, edu, agro)
• Language and lifestyle subscription services
• Intelligent link of service platforms/verticals
• Identify first, map processes and then go solve a problem
• Do mega promos sparingly: allow market catch its breath
• Always listen: The market can never be wrong

6. So who is the average Nigerian mVAS user?
• Basic pedestrian user (basic, ‘kpalasa’ devices)
• Mobile Youth ($30-$100 feature & smartphones)
• Corporate user (higher ARPU-generating, data-sucking smartphones for
work, status & personal use)
• Seniors (use all ranges of phones and ARPU vacillates as usage pattern of
a good number is financed by the younger generation)
Nice-sounding revised GDP figures, but several system factors hold back the populace.
• Growth: economy grew to $453 billion in 2012 (versus SA’s $384 billion, which is still Africa’s most
competitive economy)
• GDP per capita: $2,688 (121st in the world)
• Poverty: most of the population yet living on less than $2 a day
• Challenges: infrastructure deficits, slow ports, bad roads and a lack of electricity

7. So what does he/she really want?
– Don’t spam me, give me some respect (non-intrusive and relevant). I may
not mind some form of SMS/IVR adverts, but let me choose what’s
relevant. Create services I can voluntarily approach & easily exit (opt-out)
– Don’t rob me, just because I pay you before you give me service (MO-
billing) . I earned my money, so take your reputation with me seriously
and don’t deceive yourself that I have no choice…I always do.
– Think ahead, you’ve known me well enough, my usage patterns, content
purchase preferences, where I switch off my phone, my ARPU numbers,
promos I’ve gone for…so why not stop cut-&-paste & use all that data to
cook the soup that’s just right for me?
– Top-notch QoS: meet your advertised promises (ATL, BTL, fine-print)
– True choice: what does each operator stand for (USP/differentiator)?
– Blow me away: court me like a bride, make me an offer I can’t refuse
– Follow me wherever my life patterns take me: Ringtones died,
shortcodes will get less relevant as mobile payments emerge & permeate
our whole lifestyles. Be there for me when I’m ready for mobile payments

8. So let’s get better…
…Simon Aderinlola
www.waspgte.com
www.beyondbranches.com
www.simonsez007.com