E-Business
Future of African Super Apps Relies on Great User Experience and Strong Security
Financial institutions are increasingly relying on apps and their turbo charged cousins, super apps, for much needed revenue growth. Organisations that can offer a secure, low-friction app experience are more likely to migrate existing customers to digital channels, attract new customers and lower operational costs, giving them a much needed competitive advantage in an increasingly competitive market.
Africa is one of the fastest growing app markets in the world, with Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa showing particularly high growth since the Covid pandemic.
With rapid urbanisation, a big improvement in connectivity as well as the fact that smartphone connections in Africa are expected to double by 2025, reaching 678 million, it is reasonable to expect that the app economy will see strong growth over the next few years.
Nigeria has shown itself to be a particularly high-growth region and while the volumes of transactions made over apps in Nigeria are still fairly low, the latest figures from the Nigerian government show that app transactions in the last quarter of 2020 account for 80 percent of the value of all mobile transactions in the country.
A good app strategy requires a hard look at security
“Given the growth of apps in Africa, and the growing competitiveness in the financial services industry, it would be detrimental for regional financial institutions to ignore a solid app strategy. We have seen a considerable increase in questions around how to boost security and user experience from many African CIOs over the last 18 months,” explains Tochukwu Iwuora, pre-sales solutions lead at Entersekt. “Poor user experience and concerns over security can result in customers abandoning apps for those of competitor financial institutions, especially amongst the younger generation.”
Iwuora says that while most banking apps currently offer basic functionality such as balance checks, intra and inter-bank transfers, the demand for more functionality such as mobile payments, service subscriptions, and in-app marketplaces, which require interfacing with third parties, are rapidly increasing – and so too, the need for better security.
“When you are making a mobile data subscription or paying a utility bill on an app, you won’t want to jump through hoops when it comes to authentication. Using strong multifactor authentication at the outset means customers are going to have a far better experience. And we are seeing a definite pushback on poor user experience especially from younger users who are used to a seamless experience on their social media platforms,” he says.
Iwuora points out that the friction caused by poor authentication can become even more pronounced when users have to navigate the more function-rich and complex super apps. And, given that these are increasingly where financial institutions and MNOs are focusing their growth efforts, ensuring a slick user experience from the outset becomes critical.
User experience influences super app growth trajectory
Mobile money was born in Africa and continues to dominate the global uptake. Taking the next step in its evolution, apps like M-Pesa in Kenya, which serves more than 47 million users across its markets, are now leveraging their network dominance.
The updated app will now allow users to book bus and train tickets, buy insurance as well as buy tickets for local events, with more options expected in future iterations.
In South Africa, Nedbank Avo goes beyond banking functionality to provide a merchant platform for small traders and has already attracted over a million users and 20 000 merchants.
The VodaPay super app, meanwhile, has reportedly attracted 2.2 million downloads and 1.6 million registered users in just eight months since its launch. The app offers a range of financial services including loans and savings as well as person-to-person payments and a newly launched marketplace for unsecured personal loans.
“Super apps pose a real opportunity for financial institutions and MNOs to monetize their networks, boosting revenue and building sustainability into their business models.
This is especially true in an age where traditional businesses are facing growing competition from fintechs and neo financial institutions which have a reputation for providing a better mobile experience than their traditional counterparts.
However, super apps also face a greater security risk as mobile malware attacks continue to grow,” Iwuora explains.
More moving parts mean more points of weakness
The threat to any app grows as financial institutions add new features and integrate to more third parties, increasing the surface area that is at risk of attack. However, while financial institutions must ensure security across all systems, networks and interfaces, customer-facing security measures like authentication can have a significant impact on the overall user experience.
“The balancing act between keeping users secure and ensuring that they have a low-friction experience is key for attracting and retaining customers. Using an inherence factor such as facial recognition or fingerprint authentication at login is a must. Then, when users engage with third-party providers for sensitive transactional services, step-up authentication by means of another authentication factor, adds additional security,” he says.
Iwuora says that tech savvy financial institutions are already pioneering the use of behavioural analytics to create a more frictionless experience for their customers by silently analysing their transactional and biometric behaviour in the background, and then using step-up authentication only when analytics show high risk of fraud.
“Africa has shown that it is ready to embrace all the convenience and opportunity of the app economy. Migrating consumers onto these digital channels create valuable new revenue streams and lower operating costs. But brands must be aware that poor user experiences created by intrusive authentication could make their app journey much more difficult,” Iwuora concludes.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has joined sixty (60) other Data Protection Authorities (DPAs) in endorsing the “Joint Statement on Al-Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy.”
NDPC
The Joint Statement was coordinated by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IEWG) of the Global Privacy Assembly.
This underscores the growing concerns regarding the privacy risks posed by Artificial Intelligence tools capable of generating realistic images and videos of identifiable individuals.
The Joint Statement highlights concerns over the misuse of Al-powered tools to create non-consensual imagery, defamatory content, and other harmful materials, particularly affecting children and vulnerable groups.
It calls on organisations to implement strong safeguards, ensure transparency, provide effective content removal mechanisms, and comply fully with applicable data protection laws.
The current effort forms part of a continuum of steps being taken by Nigeria to ensure the responsible use of Al. It will be recalled that the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, led the initiative for the development of the National Al Strategy.
The NDPC also issued the General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), which, amongst others, mandates privacy by design and privacy by default in the development and deployment of Al tools.
The National Commissioner/CEO of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, has directed that the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDP Act) Compliance Audit Returns (CAR) by data controllers and processors of major importance will serve as a yardstick for monitoring and evaluating responsible use of Al for data processing in Nigeria.
E-Business
Jumia Tech Week 2026 Begins with Tech Deals on Smartphones, Electronics, and Everyday Technology
Jumia Nigeria has announced the launch of Jumia Tech Week 2026, a two-week campaign offering customers access to discounted technology products across key categories, including smartphones, computing, home entertainment, and wearable devices.
Starting from March 2 to March 15, Jumia Nigeria’s Tech Week 2026 is themed ‘Tech Products for Less’ – a deliberate commitment by the e-commerce giant to drive down the cost of technology products for Nigerian consumers. The campaign offers significant price reductions across key product categories, enabling more Nigerians to access the devices they need at prices that reflect the company’s dedication to affordability and consumer value.
Jumia Tech Week will feature deals across a wide range of product categories, including mobile phones, computer systems and accessories, televisions and audio equipment, gaming products, home appliances, portable power solutions, health technology,, and wearable devices.
Customers will also have access to curated recommendations, including top smartphone deals, must-have accessories, gaming essentials, and home technology upgrades.
According to Temidayo Ojo, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, the campaign reflects Jumia’s broader commitment to making everyday technology more accessible to Nigerians.
“Technology has become an essential part of everyday life, and access to the right devices enables more people to participate fully in the digital economy,” said Ojo. “At Jumia, we remain focused on expanding access and improving the shopping experience as we continue to build Nigeria’s everyday retail destination.”
The campaign will include a range of customer engagement initiatives such as flash sales, brand days, anchor deals and interactive activities designed to enhance the online shopping experience.
Special highlight periods, described as Explosion Days, will take place on March 6 and March 13, featuring limited-time offers across selected technology categories. Customers will also be able to participate in interactive activities, including product-based games, treasure hunts,, and live shopping sessions during the campaign period.
The campaign will feature participation from leading brands including Oraimo, Silver Crest, Samsung, Ecoflow, Nivea and Aeon, offering customers a wide selection of technology, household and lifestyle products. Early access promotions already begun during the teaser period from February 16 to March 1, allowing customers to preview selected deals ahead of the official launch.
Jumia Tech Week forms part of the company’s broader strategy to expand e-commerce adoption by improving access to essential products and enhancing the customer experience across its platform. As Nigeria’s e-commerce market continues to grow, Jumia remains focused on strengthening its product assortment, logistics capabilities, and digital experience to serve customers better nationwide.
Customers can participate in the campaign by using the Jumia mobile app or visiting the Jumia website and following the conversation online using #JumiaTechWeek.
Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) pays between ₦2 million and ₦5 million as deposit insurance to customers of liquidated banks, Managing Director Thompson Oludare Sunday told the House Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters during 2026 budget defence.
NDIC
House Spokesperson Akin Rotimi Jr sought details on depositor entitlements, citing Heritage Bank’s June 2024 collapse and public concerns over financial confidence.
Sunday explained NDIC’s mandate: banks pay risk-based premiums (now under 1%, down from 15/16 of 1%) to guarantee deposits. Coverage is ₦5 million for deposit money banks, primary mortgage banks (PMBs), and microfinance banks (MMOs); ₦2 million for other financial institutions.
Using BVN, NDIC auto-pays guaranteed sums without visits for amounts up to the limit. For Heritage, post-revocation, NDIC liquidated assets—selling buildings, recovering loans, realizing investments—and paid a second ₦24.63 billion dividend on January 6.
“Anything above ₦5 million or ₦2 million depends on recoveries,” Sunday said, noting ongoing asset sales and debt chases.
Committee Chairman Ahmed Jaha Babawo commended the clarity, noting the limit rose from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million recently. Over 90% of Heritage depositors got insured sums in under four days, meeting International Resolution Deposit (IRD) standards.
Babawo added liquidation dividends would be discussed in executive session.
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