Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
Following privacy issues faced by a social messaging app, WhatsApp, and the debate that ensued in the tech space, African messaging app, Ayoba, has reiterated its focus on protecting users’ privacy and security.
In a statement, the company assured its users that it’s not possible for messages in the app to be read by anyone, or shared to any third parties.
The app features end-to-end encrypted peer-to-peer private messaging. A user’s contacts and location are only available to other users if explicitly shared by the account owner.
Users can feel confident that their private data will remain private, and is treated with the utmost care and respect by Ayoba via our Privacy Policy.
The Interim CEO of the company, Mr Richard Cimardi, noted that, “All the content is curated. We have a team of editors who check every post on our content channels before it goes live. This includes our music and entertainment channels. So it’s 100 per cent family-friendly and safe for our younger users’.
“We have a team of editors who check every post on our content channels before it goes live.
He explained that the app also has other unique feature including its availability in 22 languages: English, isiXhosa, isiZulu, French, Arabic, Dari, Pashtu, Hausa, Afrikaans, Igbo, Jula, Kinyarwanda, Luganda, Pidgin [Cameroon], Pidgin [Nigeria], Portuguese, Sesotho, Setswana, Swahili, Twi, and Yoruba.
Content channels are predominantly English and French, but the app offers content across all the languages as well, in Dari, Pashto, isiZulu, isiXhosa and more.
Ayoba recently launched an in-app assistant, Aya, to guide new users on how to use an instant messaging app. Aya appears automatically in everyone’s chats and can run a variety of interactive tutorials for key features within the app.
Ayoba is looking forward to a busy 2021, upgrading the already extensive list of features – including exciting new content in Channels and local MicroApps from across Africa, and also introducing new functionality, including in-app VoIP voice and video calls.
Free Data for MTN Users
In partnership with MTN, customers of the service provider are automatically allocated free data to use Ayoba features. Allowances range from 50MB daily to unlimited usage, depending on the country (with the exception of Benin Republic).
Free data allocations can be used for all activities available on the app – including messaging, browsing, gaming and listening to music.
Ayoba was awarded the Africa Digital Award for Best Mobile Application in November 2020, in a voting process involving both industry judges and the public.
Ayoba offers Group Chat, Status updates, MicroApps and over 100 content channels bringing news, fashion, beauty, sports, education and music listening to the users. Ayoba has also an extensive game selection of more than 120 games currently available.
Since its launch in May 2019, Ayoba has reached millions of monthly active users. It offers users free access to an ecosystem of digital and rich media services through channels, micro-apps and payment solutions, embedded within an African super-app.
Ayoba is highly localised and tailored for African and Middle East consumer needs, supporting 22 relevant languages. Users can send and receive encrypted messages, share photos, videos, files and voice notes and can also subscribe to live channels.
Localised content is available through curated channels aimed at entertaining, educating and empowering communities as well as a range of games. Ayoba is available for Android users on the Google Store, via its website (Ayoba.me).
