Brands/Products
How Brands Should Leverage Digital Marketing to Capture Africa’s Future Customers
By Ebun Ikenze
Unless they cater specifically to an older niche, most brands want to grab the attention of young people. That makes sense too. Young people are tastemakers and the guardians of what’s cool and what isn’t. And, if you grab their attention while they’re still young, there’s a good chance they’ll stay loyal for a very long time. It is no wonder, then, that so many brands are showing an interest in Africa.
As other major population centres age out and face stagnant (or even decreasing) birth rates, Africa remains home to a young and growing population. In fact, as of 2022, around 40% of the population was aged 15 years and younger. Its overall population, meanwhile, currently sits at around 1.4 billion and is expected to grow to 2.5 billion people by 2050. And by 2030, young Africans are expected to constitute 42% of global youth.
But attracting all those young people to your brand is more complex than launching it and hoping they’ll come. You also have to market it actively. And the best way of doing so is through targeted, relevant messages on the digital platforms that most young Africans spend the majority of their time on.
Connected, savvy, and cool
That focus on digital platforms might seem strange given that overall levels of internet access in Africa (currently at 43%) remain below the global average (66%), but internet connectivity is growing rapidly across Africa. Thanks to the increasing number of undersea cables linking African countries with each other and the rest of the world, connectivity has become faster, more ubiquitous, and more affordable. That impact can be seen in the fact that, by 2022, the continent had more than doubled the number of internet users it had in 2015.
Internet traffic has grown too. In fact, between 2018 and 2022, Africa saw the most rapid growth in international internet bandwidth. While global average bandwidth growth during that period was 28%, Africa saw 44% growth in the same period. Young people are a major driving force behind the growth in internet adoption and traffic. While not an exact proxy for internet connectivity, it’s illuminating that in 2019, sub-Saharan Africa was expected to add more than 160 million mobile subscribers by 2025, driven primarily by the youth population.
With those improvements in connectivity come increased levels of consumer savviness. That means that consumers increasingly want the same kinds of brand experiences as their counterparts in other countries and will actively seek out those experiences.
Being where they are
Therefore, brands must do everything they can to be where those young people are when they’re seeking out those experiences.
That means those brands must have presences on major digital platforms, including those owned by Meta (Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram), as well as on the likes of Snap and Spotify. It’s also telling how invested those platforms are in the continent. Spotify, for example, views Africa as crucial to its ambitions of doubling its global user base by 2030.
They clearly see the potential in Africa’s young and increasingly connected population, so shouldn’t you too?
Partner with the experts
Of course, as much as those platforms have made it as easy as possible to advertise on them, brands can’t simply launch a campaign and hope for the best. They should instead partner with experts who can help ensure that their campaigns are as effective as possible.
Such a partner will have expertise in each of the most important platforms as well as extensive experience in the markets your brand is trying to break into. That on-the-ground knowledge, in particular, should never be underestimated. It can be the difference between a successful campaign and a total flop.
The right partner will also help you deliver creative excellence at a transparent price, maximising the impact of your digital campaigns.
Embracing Africa’s big digital shifts
There is no doubt that Africa is undergoing massive shifts and that its growing, youthful population represents a massive opportunity for the brands willing to take advantage of it. And if they’re to take advantage of that opportunity, they also need to ride the continent’s growing levels of connectivity. Crucially, they shouldn’t do it alone and should instead partner with people who understand both the continent and the most relevant online platforms used across it.
The brands that get that right stand to see serious and lasting gains.
Ebun Ikenze is the Client Relations Director at Ad Dynamo by Aleph
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Residents of Egbin, Ijede, and Ipakan in Lagos State recently trooped out for the 7th Annual Medical Outreach of Egbin Power.
The three-day medical outreach was organised in partnership with a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) known as Livewell Initiative in line with the power-generating company’s commitment to ensuring healthy lives and well-being of its host communities.
This programme also aligns with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) – Good Health and Well-being.
The outreach attracted over three thousand people, including children, adults and nursing mothers, who enjoyed cardiovascular, arthritis, dental, eye-check, diabetes tests, malaria treatment, hepatitis screening, and blood pressure examination.
It was gathered that eyeglasses, dental kits, and medications were administered at no cost to the residents after careful examination by qualified medical practitioners.
“At Egbin Power, we recognise that the health and well-being of our host communities is crucial to our success. This medical outreach programme is one of the ways we demonstrate our commitment to giving back to our host communities.
“It is also in alignment with our commitment to SDG 3 and we believe that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right, and we will continue to work towards making it a reality for all,” the Head of Corporate Communications and Branding at Egbin Power, Mr Felix Ofulue, stated.
“We are proud to partner with Egbin Power on this medical outreach programme. Together, we are making a positive difference in the lives of the people in these communities,” the Managing Director of Livewell Initiative, Dr Bisi Bright, said.
Also speaking at the event, the Aro of Egbin Kingdom, Mr Olayemi Olukunga, said, “We are grateful to Egbin Power for their kindness and generosity. This medical outreach programme has become an annual tradition that we look forward to, and we appreciate the positive impact it has on our community.”
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Wasilat Ogundipe, thanked Egbin Power for the gesture, saying, “It affords us timely access to free medical examinations, enabling our children, parents and vulnerable community members to address their health concerns.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
International Workplace Group (IWG), the world’s largest provider of hybrid working solutions with notable brands like Spaces and Regus, is opening two state-of-the-art flexible workspaces in Lagos to meet the rising demand.
The addition of IWG’s latest locations, HQ Lagos Lekki Link Bridge and Regus Lagos Mansard Place, followed the business posting its highest-ever revenue, cashflow and earnings growth in its history and achieving rapid network growth, signing 465 new locations in the first half of 2024 alone.
According to the company, the adoption of hybrid working rapidly is accelerating across Nigeria and these new locations in Lagos are part of the drive by IWG to meet the sharply rising demand for top-class flexible working space in the area.
Its unique offering will enable local people to experience living in a “15-minute” city, allowing workers to work close to their homes without commuting far from where they live.
The HQ workspace is set to open in Lekki in March 2025 and will It will be located on the 2nd and 3rd floor while the Regus location at Mansard Place (situated at Plot 928, Bishop Aboyade Cole Street, Victoria Island) will be on the 3rd floor of the six storey building and will open in February 2025.
The buildings will provide space for established firms and start-ups across a range of industries, while IWG’s Design Your Own Office service allows companies to tailor their space entirely to their requirements. The new locations will include facilities including private offices, meeting rooms, co-working and creative spaces.
With explosive market growth as companies of all sizes adopt hybrid working for the long-term, it is predicted that 30 per cent of all commercial real estate will be flexible workspace by 2030 and IWG believes that partners will be able to capitalise on this fast-growing sector,
The potential for further growth is exponential with an estimated 1.2 billion white collar workers globally and a total addressable market of more than £1.57 trillion. Conventional office occupancy will continue to fall as businesses require less traditional space and turn to flexible workspace instead.
Last year alone, IWG welcomed over 800 new partner locations and counts 83 per cent of Fortune 500 companies among its customer base.
Speaking on this, Mr Mark Dixon, CEO & Founder of International Workplace Group Plc, commented: “We are establishing a stronger and much-needed footprint in Nigeria with this these latest openings.
“As an important business hub Lagos is a fantastic place for us to boost our expansion plans. The need for high-quality flexible workspaces continues to soar as hybrid working becomes the new normal.
“We are very pleased to work in partnership with Sterling Bank and APD Mansard Place to develop the brand under a management agreement that will add a cutting-edge workspaces to their the buildings.
“Our openings in Lagos comes at a time when more and more companies are discovering that flexible working boosts employee happiness and satisfaction, while helping the environment. Our workplace model is also proven to increase productivity and allows for a business to scale up or down at significantly reduced costs.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Another award has been added to the shelves of Airtel Nigeria for the quality service it offers its numerous subscribers.
At the 14th Nigerian NewsDirect Awards held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel on Friday, December 6, 2024, the company went home with the Most Preferred and Admired Telecommunications Brand award.
The chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, thanked the news platform for the recognition, reiterating the dedication of the organisation towards the growth of Nigeria.
“At Airtel, we remain steadfast in our mission to enrich lives and contribute to the sustainable growth of our nation, and we are proud to receive this award as the Most Preferred and Admired Telecommunications Brand.
“This recognition reaffirms our commitment to connecting Nigerians, driving digital inclusion, and empowering communities through innovative solutions,” he said.
The ceremony, themed Achieving Economic Prosperity: The Role of Human Capacity Development, Fiscal Prudence, and Revenue Generation, celebrated outstanding contributions made by individuals and corporate organisations to national development across sectors and industries.
The chairman of Odu’a Investment Limited, Mr Bimbo Ashiru, thanked all participating entities for their “continuous contributions and support to the nation’s growth.”
“You have demonstrated excellence and have significantly contributed to Nigeria’s progress and we believe this platform will continue to highlight and encourage best practices across industries,” he stated.
The event attracted several persons, including the chairman of the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Mr Ayodele Subair; and the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji; among others.
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