This Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the MoMo PSB head office in Victoria Island, Lagos on Wednesday February 3.

Through this partnership, registered SMEs under SMEDAN will gain access to MoMo PSB’s digital solutions across multiple channels, including apps, POS, USSD, partner portals, and other tailored platforms.

These solutions enable merchants to accept payments through multiple channels, pay staff salaries, manage tills and multiple shops, and oversee core business activities from a single, integrated platform.

Participating businesses will also enjoy access to market opportunities within the broader MoMo PSB and MTN ecosystem, alongside capacity-building support designed to strengthen their operations and support long-term growth.

The partnership underscores MoMo PSB and SMEDAN’s shared commitment to empowering entrepreneurs with practical, accessible financial solutions that reduce operational stress, improve cash flow, and enable business growth. By combining SMEDAN’s extensive SME network with MoMo PSB’s digital financial infrastructure, the collaboration will drive meaningful impact across Nigeria’s SME ecosystem.

Speaking on the partnership, Usoro Usoro, the executive director, Strategy and Innovation for MoMo PSB said:

“This partnership with SMEDAN reflects our commitment to supporting small and medium-scale businesses with tools that help them operate more efficiently and unlock new growth opportunities. Through the MoMo PSB Business App, we’re making it easier for entrepreneurs to manage payments, increase revenue, and focus on growing their businesses profitably.”

Charles Odii, the director general/CEO of SMEDAN, also said,

“This partnership is about removing friction and making sure financial support reaches small businesses in a way that is simple, transparent, and built for real impact.”

The benefits of the MoMo PSB’s digital solutions are not limited to SMEs within the SMEDAN Ecosystem. SMEs all over Nigeria can also access these tools for growth.

MoMo PSB remains committed to bridging financial gap in Nigeria through strategic partnerships and collaboration.

This new feature is available to users in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada and is aimed at enhancing the attraction of its music streaming service while simultaneously challenging Spotify’s growing presence in the audiobook sector.  

Subscribers to the individual and family plans of Amazon Music Unlimited can now choose an audiobook of their liking each month. 

They may either continue listening to their selected title across billing cycles or opt for a new one in the subsequent cycle. This addition does not come with restrictions on audiobook length and is included as part of the existing subscription package.  

Steve Boom, Amazon’s vice president of Audio, Twitch, and Games, described the development as a step towards broadening the reach of Audible’s industry-leading audiobook catalogue. “This introduces a new audience to the world of audiobooks by integrating them into the Amazon Music experience,” he noted.  

This development comes as Amazon seeks to bolster its audio offerings in response to increasing competition in the market. 

Spotify, which has become the second-largest audiobook provider, already includes limited audiobook access for its Premium subscribers across various regions, with a 15-hour monthly cap for free-tier users. 

Spotify also launched an audiobook-exclusive plan earlier this year, intensifying competition in the space.  

Meanwhile, Audible continues to offer its standalone plans starting at $7.95 per month, which include a mix of original audiobooks, podcasts, and sleep tracks. Its $14.95 plan provides subscribers with one premium audiobook each month, featuring bestsellers and new releases.  

Amazon has been making strides to refine its book recommendation systems across platforms. Late last year, it introduced the “Your Books” tracker to consolidate saved or purchased titles from Amazon, Kindle, and Audible. 

The company has also leveraged data from Prime Video to personalise audiobook suggestions for Audible users, further integrating its services to enhance user experience.  

With the addition of audiobooks, Amazon Music Unlimited subscribers gain more value for their plans, which cost $10 per month for Amazon Prime members and $11 for non-members.

New customers can also take advantage of a three-month free trial to explore the service.

Ethan Bennet from Sonin uncovers the top apps that Americans are giving the boot, shedding light on the factors driving these deletion trends.

Apps With High Deletion Rates

App Categories Under Scrutiny:

Several popular app categories are witnessing significant deletion rates. From social media giants to e-commerce behemoths, here’s a breakdown of the trends:

Social Media Platforms:

• Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat are all experiencing notable drops in user retention. Privacy concerns, algorithmic changes, and shifting user demographics may be contributing factors.

Messaging Apps:

• Telegram’s popularity surge has hit a bump in the road, with some users questioning its security features and data protection measures.

E-commerce Platforms:

• Even retail giant Amazon isn’t immune to the uninstall trend. Increased competition, concerns over data privacy, and changes in consumer behavior could be influencing users’ decisions to bid adieu to the app.

1. Instagram:

• Changing User Preferences: Instagram’s once-unrivaled appeal as a visual storytelling platform is facing challenges amid changing user preferences. Some users may feel disillusioned by the platform’s emphasis on curated content and influencer culture, seeking out alternatives that offer a more authentic and less filtered experience.
• Competition from Rivals: The rise of TikTok and other short-form video platforms has intensified competition for users’ attention. Instagram’s efforts to replicate TikTok’s features, such as Reels, may not be resonating with all users, leading some to explore new platforms for their social media fix.

2. Facebook:

• Privacy Concerns: Facebook’s deletion trends are closely tied to ongoing concerns over data privacy and security. The platform’s history of data breaches and controversies surrounding its data-sharing practices have eroded user trust, prompting many to reassess their relationship with the platform.
• Generational Shifts: Facebook’s user base is aging, with younger generations gravitating towards newer, more niche social media platforms perceived as more authentic and less commercialized. This generational shift could be contributing to the platform’s declining user retention.

3. Snapchat:

• Privacy Concerns: Like its counterparts, Snapchat has faced scrutiny over its data privacy practices and its handling of user data. Recent controversies may have eroded trust among users, leading some to delete the app in search of alternatives that offer better privacy protections.
• Evolving Features: While Snapchat’s unique features once set it apart from competitors, the app may be struggling to innovate in a rapidly changing landscape. Users may be drawn to platforms offering similar features with better performance and user experience.

4. Telegram:

• Security Concerns: Telegram’s deletion trends may be driven by concerns over its security features and its ability to protect user data from potential breaches. Despite its reputation as a privacy-focused platform, some users may question the efficacy of its encryption protocols and data protection measures.
• Competition from Established Players: Telegram faces stiff competition from more established messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal, which have built up loyal user bases over the years. Users may be hesitant to switch to a lesser-known platform without assurances of its security and reliability.

5. Amazon:

• Changing Consumer Behavior: Amazon’s deletion trends may reflect broader shifts in consumer behavior, particularly in response to concerns over the company’s market dominance and data practices. Some users may be exploring alternative e-commerce platforms that offer more transparent pricing, better customer service, or a greater selection of products.
• Competition from Brick-and-Mortar Retailers: Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are stepping up their online presence, offering competitive pricing and fast shipping options to attract customers away from Amazon. As consumers become more conscious of where they spend their money, Amazon may face challenges in retaining its customer base.

Insights from Ethan:

Ethan offers insights into the driving forces behind these deletion trends:

1. Privacy Concerns: Americans are increasingly aware of the importance of data privacy and are quick to ditch apps that fail to protect their personal information. Recent controversies surrounding data breaches and privacy scandals have fueled distrust among users, prompting them to seek out more secure alternatives.
2. Changing User Preferences: The American consumer is a fickle beast, constantly on the lookout for the next big thing. Apps that once held sway over the masses may find themselves relegated to the digital graveyard as user tastes evolve and new competitors emerge.
3. Competition from Alternatives: In the land of opportunity, there’s no shortage of alternatives vying for users’ attention. Whether it’s a new social media platform promising better privacy controls or a messaging app touting enhanced security features, Americans are spoilt for choice when it comes to finding replacements for their favorite apps.

The deletion trends observed in America offer valuable insights into the dynamic nature of the app landscape.

From privacy concerns and changing user preferences to competition from alternative platforms, there are myriad factors influencing which apps stay and which ones go.

Ethan says,

‘As users exercise their freedom to choose, developers and platforms must remain vigilant in addressing their concerns and adapting to meet their evolving needs.’

IT leaders across Africa are grappling to establish the governance and processes required to master the basics with widening digital skills gaps, disconnected systems, and compliance concerns amongst their top concerns.

This is according to MuleSoft’s 2024 Connectivity Benchmark Report, which found that among 1,050 IT Leaders worldwide, 98% say they are facing challenges regarding digital transformation.

81% of IT Leaders report the persistence of data silos, and 72% cite the fragility of tightly coupled and highly dependent systems as top challenges holding them back from AI adoption.]

For businesses looking to stay ahead in an AI-powered future, integration and automation will be essential. The role of the CIO and other IT leaders is becoming more critical than ever.

The savviest business leaders are turning to their IT leaders to help drive their businesses’ AI strategy forward.

While 85% of IT leaders expect AI to boost developer productivity, they flag that both security and trust remain as barriers to adoption. An additional 64% of IT leaders are concerned with ethical AI usage and adoption.

This includes establishing and communicating a clear strategy for execution that addresses both compliance and skills gap concerns.

Integration is the foundation to connected customer experiences

With adoption of AI tools rising rapidly among the general public, demand for AI-first customer experiences will follow.

Today’s customers have come to expect exceptional experiences supported by well-connected data through integrated systems.

Nearly three-quarters (70%) of customer experiences are now entirely digital, but only 26% of organizations report providing a completely connected user experience across all channels.

This is why a single, unified, and real-time view of every customer, at scale, is the intelligent heart of customer engagement.

Across all industries, there’s a greater need for better integration to unify all structured and unstructured business data to power and deploy trusted, relevant AI across business functions.

While AI has the power to drive efficiency, it is dependent on integrated data, and it’s creating more complexity for integration strategies. Organisations having to balance nearly 1000 applications to create a cohesive experience for end users.

IT Leaders acknowledge that data silos and systems fragility are holding their companies back from AI adoption. Over 90% of IT leaders are experiencing integration issues.

A significant minority of organisations are architected for AI success, where only 2% report no significant barriers to utilising their data for AI use cases.

Concerns around integration are twofold: the difficulty integrating generative AI features with other software systems, and the need for integration between existing systems.

Organisations that have adopted an integration strategy have reported a vast array of benefits. From customer experience, more significant ROI, and automation implementation, integration positively impacts the organisation.

Failure to close the gap between integrated/connected applications will prevent AI from meaningfully improving employee or customer experiences for most organisations for the foreseeable future.

Democratising automation and establishing data governance will unlock greater productivity

Automation remains a source of contention for IT leaders. IT relies on automation solutions to drive efficiency and provide business users with autonomy.

According to McKinsey, current generative AI and other technologies have the potential to automate work activities that absorb 60 to 70 percent of employees’ time today.

Yet IT teams are still largely responsible for governing and maintaining the automation process, and the workload that is required to implement solutions can counter the intended benefits.

To scale, automation solutions highlight an opportunity for business teams to self-serve and ease the burden on IT. As businesses increasingly look to automation to drive efficiency, APIs can become a powerhouse for productivity and revenue.

IT leaders report that APIs allow them to drive agility and promote self-service (54%), increase productivity (48%), and even benefit business teams and help meet their demands (46%).

Managing and securing the data that underpins these APIs at scale has become increasingly complex. By establishing data governance – setting the rules or policies by which information is collected, managed, stored, measured, and communicated – companies can set the foundations for success.

With the right governance parameters in place, automation can be democratized, which would free up IT teams to tackle technology challenges with increased complexity.

With the support of the wider business they can unlock the benefits of AI applications and data integration and governance, paving the way for a more productive, efficient AI-powered future.

The gambling industry has benefited greatly from technology. It has become more accessible, with quality graphics, AI embedded, and improved image quality, amongst other features.

From the perspective of online football betting, technology has had an impact. Many Nigerians no longer need to visit betting shops to place bets. Betting companies have Apps that are both on the Google Play Store and the Apple Store. Anybody who has these betting Apps installed on their smartphone can start betting. It’s as easy as that.

These betting companies are growing from strength to strength. They run advertisements on social media and have succeeded largely in gaining the attention of young people. They offer free bonuses just to gather more customers.

Virtual Sports Gambling

Virtual sport is often used to describe software simulations of sports used for betting purposes. Some betting houses and racinos use this kind of software because clients use to bet more than with normal sports.

A virtual betting game can be played at any time of day, giving players the flexibility to place bets anytime they wish.

The procedure is putting wagers on computer-generated (simulated) games that your preferred bookmaker has set up. Results are always algorithm-based, and the winner is chosen objectively.

Many of these sites offer ‘free-to-play versions of their games, where members can play with pretend money. When playing with pretend money, the odds will be typically in the player’s favor, and they will assume that they can then win with real money.

Win and Loss

Some Nigerian youths see virtual betting as an opportunity of making money instantly without really doing anything. Yes, it is very possible to make some cash within minutes. It is the same way you lose money.

All of these have been facilitated by technological advancements. Game results have been programmed before playing. The results are usually based on data. Let’s say, if Manchester United is doing well on the pitch, in real life – it will also do well in virtual games. The results in virtual games are replicas.

Gambling harm goes beyond only financial loss. Self-esteem, relationships, physical and mental health, professional performance, and social life can all be negatively impacted by gambling. Gambling harms not only the gambler but also their loved ones, friends, coworkers, and communities.

Narrating his ordeals, a young man in his 30s who spoke to TechEconomy revealed how he lost almost N1.5 million on virtual games.

“It wrecked me,” he said.

He said it was very easy to credit his betting account from his bank. “I lost over N1 million in 30 hours. My bank account is linked to my betting App. So, it’s easy to just transfer money and stake.

According to him, the losses grew as he attempts to recover.

“It looks so easy and addictive. I had the belief that I was going to recover. I mean, I have lost over N600k before and ended up recovering it and went N200k higher.”

“I still feel disturbed to date that I lost such an amount of money. I could have applied caution but I didn’t.”

Ban in Anambra

Governor Charles Soludo banned betting outfits, casinos, and others in Anambra State a few weeks ago.

He claimed operators of casino games machines and owners of hotels and bars of non-transparency in the payment of game winnings, which it said were serious violations.

The statement read in part: “The Ministry of Culture, Entertainment, and Tourism receive several petitions for manipulations of casino game machines and non-transparency in payment for game-winning which are serious abuses of global best practices.

“Consequently, the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the A, Anambra State Internal Revenue Service, AIRS, and Ministry of Homeland Affairs hereby direct operators of casino games in hotels, restaurants, and bars to suspend all game and casino operations with immediate effect pending the conclusion of investigations.”

Conclusion

Technology aids gambling. It is now easier to place bets as long as you have an Internet connection and a smartphone. Your chance of becoming rich through gambling is very slim.

Gambling requires a great deal of discipline and caution. It is also a game for those who have attained financial freedom.

You are probably going to lose your life savings on gambling if you haven’t attained financial independence.

Head on over to AppGallery and download some of the latest and greatest lifestyle apps as we start preparing for those ‘lekker’ sunny days.

1. Calorie Counter – EasyFit

EasyFit is one of the best calorie-counting apps around. It tracks your food, exercise regime, weight and waist progress.

Check out the stunning animated statistics, enter your own food items and achieve all your fitness goals with this free app. No need to login, as all functions are completely free. Use EasyFit to lose weight, gain muscles or simply improve your overall fitness.

2. Healthy Food Recipes

The Healthy Food Recipes app is a perfect combination to enhance what you’ve started doing with your calorie counting. As the name suggests, this app provides you with many health, light and easy to make recipes.

These include low-carb recipes, crock pot recipes, dessert recipes, slow cooker recipes, soup recipes, stew recipes, recipes for keto diet and even cake recipes. You can find recipes by a simple search with the name of a recipe or by the ingredients used.

Furthermore, the ‘Cook by ingredients’ feature enables you to search and discover healthy recipes you can cook, with ingredients that you already have at home.

If you’re suffering from food allergies, there’s a wealth of peanut-free, gluten-free, wheat-free recipes, lactose-free and dairy-free recipes to choose from.

3. Water Drink Reminder

But living healthily is not only about the food you eat. Do you drink enough water during the day? Water is not only good for weight loss but your skin as well along with a host of other health benefits.

With Water Drink Reminder, simply enter your current weight and it will calculate how much water your body requires daily.

Just update the app each time you drink a glass of water for the app to send a reminder when it’s time for another drink. You can also access a graph that provides a visual graph of your healthy drinking journey.

4. Pedometer – Step Counter

Another really cool free app is Step Counter. The number one app in its category, Step Counter records the number of steps you’ve walked and displays them along with the number of calories that you’ve burnt, your distance, walking time and speed per hour.

Simply push the ‘Start’ button when you’re ready to begin and hold your smartphone as you always do and walk.

The Step Counter app will continue to automatically record your steps when not in use. View a graph with the number of steps you’ve walked and all other information such as how many calories you’ve burnt at any given time.

With AppGallery by your side, you have no excuse not to get yourself ready for Spring. Start transforming your health today with Huawei and AppGallery!

Fortunately, digitisation has made it very easy and convenient for young people to start, develop and advance their businesses.

There are a range of tools, resources, and information for you to familiarize yourself with, start honing your entrepreneurial skills and ultimately thrive in your expertise.

Haven’t thought of starting a side hustle? Or perhaps you have, but need further support with growing your business?

Look no further than AppGallery or Petal Search that enables users to search, download, manage, and share relevant apps. Discover and explore suitable platforms to accelerate your presence in the marketplace and make your way to create a successful business.

Here are a few suggested apps to help you start and grow your small business:

TikTok

Creating your own content is one of the easiest and inexpensive way to promote your business on TikTok. Plus. One of the main benefits of TikTok is that you don’t need to create highly polished videos. 

If you use TikTok in the right way, you can introduce your business, whether its services or products, to an extensive audience worldwide.

With over 500 million users, you can create informative and entertaining videos to build brand awareness and loyalty.

You can also extend your marketing efforts further through the following: a hashtag challenge, campaigns, collaboration, or even add an account.

The great thing about TikTok is that it’s fun. As a young person who might be already hooked on social media platforms, you’ll find this platform simple to navigate and grow your following.

Canva 

The modern world is a visual place, and as Africans, we love exciting, eye-catching, and compelling imagery. This has only become truer with new social media platforms and a shift to more engagement online. As a result, your business must have high-quality branded images to compete, be seen and succeed by your desired target audience.

If you’ve never designed before or are too busy with other parts of your business, creating images can be overwhelming. Don’t worry, we recommend using Canva, an online drag-and-drop image builder that helps you design social media graphics, presentations, flyers, infographics and much more.

Canva is especially useful if you are working on a low budget. It offers an unlimited free account with many useful features. You get access to hundreds of templates, stock photos, icons, and other elements right away. You don’t require any design experience, just an eye for what you like.

WhatsApp Business

 Use WhatsApp Business and offer your customers a more personal experience, so you can better run your business. WhatsApp Business is a free to download app that was built with the small business owner in mind. You can create a catalog to showcase your products and services, connect with your customers easily by using tools to automate, sort and quickly respond to messages.

What are you waiting for? You can transform your business, engage audiences, accelerate sales, and drive better customer support outcomes on this platform. 

Business Ideas

Discover new opportunities to generate income without leaving your home. If you are ambitious and dedicated to starting something, the digital world offers countless opportunities to create your own startup business.

Get ideas on the Business Ideas for Entrepreneurs & Startups app. You can discover practical tips, tools, and details about what you need to start your next online project. This app is ideal for those entrepreneurs who want to start an alternative business but do not know where to start or do not have a budget.

We love that the Business Ideas for Entrepreneurs & Startup app, incorporates new ideas, as well as basic financial education tips to start your business as soon as possible.

This app focuses on business ideas and contains articles on these business entrepreneurial topics.

Meeting your expectations

For most start-ups, resources like printers and scanners may take longer to acquire especially at the beginning stages.

However, this doesn’t mean you have to go to others to print, scan or edit your important documents, this is because apps like PDF Scanner are powerful applications for scanning documents anywhere and anytime.

If you spend a lot of time on the move you will be able to send documents to clients and contracts even when you are out of the office, this is because PDF generation is completely offline and requires no internet connection. It saves your PDF file in history and can be accessed quickly by accessing your recently used documents.

The documents scanned in PDF Scanner are not uploaded to any server for any processing and you can scan almost anything, be it documents, invoices, notes, or business cards all into PDF files. 

Piggy Goals: Money Saving

Running a side hustle is exciting and challenging, just like saving money. Especially as a young person, who wants to enjoy life to its fullest.

The Piggy Goals: Money Saving app, is designed to motivate you and help you save money, by either having a piggy bank where you can save cash any time or create daily, weekly or monthly goals.

The app will track your progress and remind you with push notifications about your money saving objectives. The coolest feature is that the app is completely free.

If you save well, you’ll be able to allocate a budget to other areas of your side hustle, grow your business and potentially develop another business.

Now that you are aware of apps to market your side hustle, create professional posters, keep customers happy and save money, all whilst enjoying the entrepreneurial journey, you can go ahead and focus on expanding your skillsets.

Explore AppGallery for more apps!