By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A multi-year and multi-million Dollar partnership has been signed between Airtel Africa and Xterlify, the digital arm of Airtel India or Bharti Airtel.

Under this deal, Xtelify will deploy its software platforms, which include Data Engine, Work and IQ. Deploying Xtelify Data Engine and Xtelify Work to empower Airtel Africa’s 150K-strong field team across 14 countries with market insights for micro-targeted strategies and unlock critical use cases like spam and fraud protection for its customers across Africa.

It was gathered that Xtelify IQ would enable secure, real-time, omnichannel customer engagement, enhancing both service quality and customer experience.

The aim is to accelerate the digital transformation of Airtel Africa through its AI-powered, future-ready software platform that will help telcos all around the world rid themselves of underlying complexity, focus on the customer, helping improve experience, lower churn and raise ARPU.

Addressing every layer of the telecom value chain, the solution comes with a converged data engine for AI led insights and intelligence at scale; a workforce platform for real time task streamlining; and an experience platform for managing every element of the customer journey for a telco.

Xtelify also launched a sovereign, telco-grade cloud platform, Airtel Cloud, designed to handle 140 Crore transactions per minute for Airtel’s own use in India.

This sovereign Cloud platform is now being extended to meet the ever-evolving needs of businesses in India.

Hosted on next-gen sustainable data centres, with Gen-AI based provisioning, and managed by 300 certified cloud experts, the highly secure and reliable Airtel Cloud offers IaaS, PaaS and advanced connectivity and guarantees secure migration, effortless scaling, lower costs and no vendor lock-ins.

“This partnership marks a transformative leap in our mission to build Africa’s digital future. By harnessing Airtel’s AI platforms that have proven scale in India, we are not only simplifying our operations but also accelerating hyper-personalized experiences for our customers.

“In addition, this is Airtel leveraging Airtel – a powerful synergy that will drive sustainable growth, innovation, and unmatched value across our 14 African markets,” the Group Chief Information Officer of Airtel Africa, Jacques Barkhuizen, said.

Also, the Chief Business Officer for Global Business at Bharti Airtel, Binod Srivastava,said, “We are thrilled to partner with Airtel Africa. By combining our innovative Xtelify platform with Airtel Africa’s vision, we will drive their digital transformation and address industry’s most complex challenges like fighting spam and fraud to ensure utmost customer protection. We look forward to a lasting partnership, working together to set new benchmarks for the industry.”

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

In fulfilment of its promise to listen, engage, and co-create with Nigerians at every point in their digital journey, MTN Nigeria has engaged its customers on some of its services.

The company brought its numerous customers together through a full-day hybrid event themed We See You. We’re With You under an initiative known as Customer Engagement Day (CED).

At the programme held at the MTN Rooftop in Lagos, the organisation received real-time feedback from customers and educated them on some practical data-saving tips and others.

The day featured fireside chats, data literacy sessions, a startup pitch challenge, speed mentorship with industry leaders and interactive lounges exploring MoMo PSB, which is MTN’s fintech subsidiary, content creation, and future technologies.

Addressing the gathering, the chief executive of MTN Nigeria, Mr Karl Toriola, said, “Today is about transparency: answering your questions, listening to your concerns, and showing that MTN is not just a service provider, we are a partner in your journey.”

He stated that the firm has invested heavily to build a network that delivers value for money, noting that while data in Nigeria remains among the most affordable globally, the priority is quality and consistency that truly powers ambition.

During discussions about data usage and management, the Chief Customer Relations and Experience Officer at MTN Nigeria, Ugonwa Nwoye, encouraged smarter data habits and reaffirmed MTN’s commitment to transparency.

“We know how essential data is, it’s how we live, work, and connect. From parents streaming classes, to small businesses on Zoom, we see your daily realities. That’s why we’re focused not just on providing data but on helping you use it better, with practical tools and tips that put you in control. We hear you, and we’re acting on what you’ve told us today,” Nwoye stated.

The Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, said, “Today has been about listening, learning, and connecting with you. We’ve heard your complaints, your ideas and even your personal stories.

“From parents balancing their children’s needs, to businesses working tirelessly online, be assured that we listen, we care, and we do. Your trust means everything to us, and we’re committed to turning today’s conversations into real actions. Beyond this event, we want you to leave knowing that MTN sees you, hears you, and is with you.”

By Olumide Balogun

The digital pulse of Nigeria beats fastest on mobile. With $1 billion projected in app usage and purchases for 2025 across the continent, marketers in Nigeria cannot afford to ignore this wave. At Google’s recent “Appcelerate” summit, top industry voices explored the central role of mobile apps in today’s marketing strategies. The takeaway was unmistakable: Nigerians spend over 4 hours daily on mobile, with 80% of that time in apps. Apps have moved from being optional extras to becoming the core of customer engagement, business efficiency, and innovation.

Smartphone access is set to reach 880 million across Africa by 2030. Monthly mobile data use is expected to triple. Nigeria is leading this digital surge, ranking 6th globally for app downloads, with a 320% rise in just two years. This growth signals more than user numbers—it shows a market with deeper engagement, higher loyalty, and richer opportunities for businesses that tap into the app-driven economy.

For marketers and business owners, apps are now a key growth driver. The path forward is clear: understand what makes apps work and how to maximize their impact. Here are seven ways Nigerian marketers can make the most of this app-led shift.

1. Treat the Customer Journey as Unified

Forget dividing your audience into “web customers” and “app customers.” Nigerian consumers move seamlessly from browser to app and back again, often in a single purchase journey. For example, someone might discover your brand via Google Search, browse your site, get distracted, then see your ad again. If they have your app, a click can bring them right back to their cart inside the app, ready to buy. Your marketing needs to reflect this reality, ensuring that the brand experience is integrated across all digital touchpoints, making it easier to convert potential customers wherever they start or finish.

2. Focus on Profitable App Engagement

App users are your most valuable customers. They engage more, show higher loyalty, and tend to spend more than those who stick to your website. The numbers back this up—app purchasers often buy beyond their original intent. By making it a priority to acquire and retain app users, you are building a strong foundation for business growth. Think of a local food delivery app: regular users order more, try out new offers, and use app-exclusive deals, all of which drives up their lifetime value.

3. Use Apps as a Goldmine for First-Party Data

With digital privacy in sharper focus, apps give marketers a chance to collect direct, consented customer data. People are more likely to share information in trusted apps, giving you deeper insight into their habits and preferences. This data is critical for building profiles and running personalized campaigns. For example, a fintech app can track user spending, preferred services, and savings goals, then use these insights to suggest relevant products and build stronger relationships.

4. Measure Holistically Across Web and App

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Marketers need to see the whole picture—not just fragments—so a cross-platform measurement strategy is a must. Tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) let you track engagement and conversions across both web and app, tying user behavior together for a complete view of the journey. For example, a travel company can see when a customer searches for flights on their website and later books a trip through their app. This full-path insight helps marketers optimize spend and improve results.

5. Turn Web Campaigns into App Conversions

When your analytics are set, guide your web users to your app. For those with the app installed, deep links can take them from a web ad right into the app, straight to the content they want. Google’s Web to App Connect in Google Ads makes this easy. If a user searches for “affordable smartphones” and clicks your ad, they can be taken directly to that section in your app, making the buying process smooth and fast. This frictionless experience boosts conversion rates and increases satisfaction.

6. Drive Growth with Google Ads and App Campaigns

Growing your app’s user base takes more than organic buzz. Google Ads offers App Campaigns designed for this moment, reaching billions of users across Google Search, Play, Gmail, YouTube, and more than 2 million sites and apps on the Display Network. App Campaigns use machine learning to find the right people for your app at the right time, helping you not only drive installs but also meaningful engagement. To date, these ads have delivered over 10 billion installs worldwide—proof of their scale and effectiveness. Nigerian developers and marketers can use this approach to efficiently build a high-value audience, whether launching a fintech app or driving engagement for a new delivery service.

7. Make YouTube Your Discovery Engine

When it comes to discovering new apps and products, few platforms rival YouTube. With nearly 2 billion logged-in users every month, YouTube reaches audiences at scale, and it’s where people spend more than a billion hours each day watching video. Importantly, over 70% of YouTube’s watch time is on mobile, which fits perfectly with Nigeria’s mobile-first population. YouTube is a go-to destination for Gen Z—especially gamers and creators—looking to connect with communities and discover new apps. In Nigeria, YouTube watch time grew by 55% in the past year, signaling a prime opportunity for app marketers to reach engaged, mobile-first audiences and boost visibility.

For Nigerian businesses, the path to sustained digital growth and profitability is now closely tied to leveraging platforms like Google Ads and YouTube. By adopting an integrated digital strategy that measures comprehensively with GA4, optimizes with Web to App Connect, and grows through AI-powered App Campaigns and video discovery on YouTube, marketers can unlock new levels of value and engagement. The opportunity is wide open for any brand ready to meet customers where they are—on their phones, in their apps, and in their favorite videos.