AFRICONNECTIONThe Africanization of social platforms, virtual connections & peer-to-peer services.
AfricA trend bulletin
sepTember 2014
Connection...
INTRODUCTION
Africans, like everyone else crave interaction with others. Yet,
as the West promotes individualism and the ‘unique identity’
as the mantra du jour, many Africans continue to perceive their
identities in the context of a tribe or community. This sense
of community – be it for profitable, practical, or even social
purposes has long been heralded as a pinnacle of African
culture.
Or maybe we can even call this quintessentially African,
thriving desire for togetherness and connection with others,
an analogue precursor to the now global and digitalized P2P/
sharing economy.
Could there be a more basic need?
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Cue the ‘Africanization’ of online social and peer-to-peer platforms.
INTRODUCTION
Mobile connectivity and the online world has expanded both the
scope and scale of Africans’ networks across the continent and
beyond, making it easier to connect with friends, strangers and
brands, in both the real and virtual realms. These connections
may be old news in the West in 2014, but the constant, timely,
relevant, social, practical and personal interactions are still
in their infancy in Africa, and their potential to solve African
problems is undeniable.
Collaborative consumption and the digital manifestation of connected Africans is in overdrive, and showing no signs of slowing down.
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Yookos (You Own Your Kosmos) is a Nigerian social networking site founded in 2011 by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of ‘Christ Embassy’, a Christian ministry that pulls up to 1.2 million
attendees in a single event. The site now boasts over 10 million ‘believers’, who can share prayer points and fellowship with other
Christians in over 160 countries worldwide.
10,000,000,000
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AFRICONNECTION is sweeping across the continent.
1. ME-2-WE
Connecting peers around shared interests and niche concerns.
2. TOGETHER WE STAND(ARDS)
Connecting people to serve community needs.
3. BY-PRODUCT PRACTICES
Leveraging existing connections, platforms and services for
alternative purposes.
3 strands of AFRICONNECTION looked at here:
These connections are niche, community-focused and often leverage existing networks.
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1. ME-2-WE
Connecting peers around shared interests and niche concerns.
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A plethora of Africans can’t get enough of platforms that segment, fragment and highlight very specific concerns and interests.
Power in numbers In Africa, mainstream global social platforms are being adopted
at a significant rate, proving that like everyone else, Africans enjoy
connecting with others.
Yet unlike in other parts of the world, where social networks are
frequently used to address niche issues*, niche topics within
Africa have often been forgotten.
1. ME-2-WE
* Note how the now viral ‘ice bucket challenge’ used Facebook as a podium to raise
awareness about the previously unknown ALS disease.
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Now, African consumers are demanding more than a one-size-fits-all approach: they’re looking for social platforms that address their niche interests and concerns.Meanwhile, African brands are realizing that facilitating ME-2-WE connections between these often fragmented, overlooked consumers can generate rewarding and lasting benefits (both within the group and beyond).
Niche is the new black
1. ME-2-WE
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Me-2-We: feAtured innOVAtiOnS
SokkaaOnline community for east African english premier Football League fans
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Me-2-We: feAtured innOVAtiOnS
Samsungmobile app connects Tunisian Alzheimer’s patients with family and friends
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Me-2-We: feAtured innOVAtiOnS
AsuquOnline hub brings together creatives in Africa
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Chances are, if you’re aiming to connect an underserved niche market in Africa, that they’re probably also under-served in many other areas, too. Take the above examples: Asuqu provides industry-specific job listings, while Samsung provides useful health information to doctors based on patients’ app usage patterns.What additional services can you provide for your following/fans/network?
Serve the niche
NEXT
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2. TOGETHER WE STAND(ARDS)
Connecting people to serve community needs.
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The global ‘sharing economy’ taps into this quintessential African ethos.
It takes a village to raise a child...
2. TOGETHER WE STAND(ARDS)
Connecting with others to share resources and responsibilities
is an idea embedded deep in African culture. What’s more, the
resilience of communities, whether in the form of tribes, regions
or demographics, demonstrates that Africans are not as easily
seduced by ‘individualism’ as their Western counterparts.
One way this is evolving in 2014? The intrinsically African zeal to
support and share with the community is synchronising with
emerging, tech-fueled collaborative consumption models and
platforms.
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Community-focused platforms, schemes and tools are seamlessly updating the manner in which Africans share resources.With converging macro-economic, political and technological forces at play in 2014, there’s no stopping the deluge of these TOGETHER WE STAND(ARDS) innovations overtaking the continent.
Share and share alike
2. TOGETHER WE STAND(ARDS)
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After surveying 5,000 respondents across Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, ‘family-oriented’ is named a key characteristic in 5 out
of the 7 new consumer segments identified.
nielSen eMerGinG MArKetS inSiGHt SurVeY, 2014
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tOGetHer We StAnd(ArdS): feAtured innOVAtiOnS
National Health Insurance SchemeFirst ever Nigerian community-based insurance scheme launched in Akwa Ibom
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tOGetHer We StAnd(ArdS): feAtured innOVAtiOnS
OurHoodsouth African startup launches neighbourhood social network
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tOGetHer We StAnd(ArdS): feAtured innOVAtiOnS
MGCubedGhanaian community scheme provides interactive distance learning for rural schools
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Africa’s wealth disparity is still extremely disproportionate. Follow suit with MGCubed’s project by thinking about how you can connect two completely different communities to benefit them both.
Consider the haves and the have-nots
NEXT
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We’re doing something different for October’s Bulletin and featuring the region’s best innovations with local insights, directly from our Happy Spotting network.These examples and insights will be read by thousands of our subscribers around the world…and could feature you!
Interested? sign up to our Happy spotting network and we’ll be in touch with more information.
Do you want to be featured in the next Africa Bulletin?
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3. BY-PRODUCT PRACTICES
Leveraging existing connections for alternative purposes.
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And its connections are equally as paradoxical: global and local, universal and niche at the same time.
2014’s Africa is ‘GLOCALIZED’
3. BY-PRODUCT PRACTICES
There’s no doubt that many (mainly young) Africans today, are
enjoying a variety of options that allow them to directly connect
with brands and other people. And despite the growing number of
new, more local/niche innovations on offer, the ubiquity, reliability
and network effect of mainstream and global online platforms
(WhatsApp, Instagram, Airbnb, etc), means that rather than one
type replacing the other, most consumers will engage different
platforms for different purposes. This phenomenon has
implications for brands that want to tap into AFRICONNECTION
without necessarily reinventing the wheel.
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GLOBAL: South Africa had the highest proportion of active Facebook users globally in Q2 2013: 68%.
LOCAL: While South Africa’s social network Mxit boasted 50 million users, growing at up to 50,000 users per day.
GlObAlWebindeX, Q2 2014 / AfrOdiGit.cOM, AuGuSt 2014
50million68%
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LOCAL: While South Africa’s social network Mxit boasted 50 million users, growing at up to 50,000 users per day.
AfrOdiGit.cOM, AuGuSt 2014
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Maximising, repurposing and piggybacking off pre-established connections works too!Successful African BY-PRODUCT PRACTICES will be those that leverage existing platforms and services to serve often completely different (but welcome) purposes.
Facilitating connections is not the only way...
3. BY-PRODUCT PRACTICES
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bY-PrOduct PrActiceS: feAtured innOVAtiOnS
UberTransport app offers frozen yoghurt on-demand delivery service in south Africa
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bY-PrOduct PrActiceS: feAtured innOVAtiOnS
AiiSSEEE!Game show and interactive platform for couples tackles health issues in east Africa
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bY-PrOduct PrActiceS: feAtured innOVAtiOnS
Kenya Tourist Board#WhyILoveKenya social media campaign aims to revitalize Kenyan tourism industry
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That’s up to you! When you think about it, even the most mundane transactions / customer interactions are opportunities for novel, unpredictable and surprising connections. So what are you waiting for? Get going with new BY-PRODUCT PRACTICES!
Which connection or platform to leverage?
NEXT
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This free tool will help you and your team unpack a trend, adapt it for your own context and apply it. But remember, Africanizing the many social and peer-to-peer platforms and services is what AFRICONNECTION is all about!
Want to apply these trends? Use our free CONSUMER TREND CANVAS!
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GOOD LUCK!
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As part of SMW Joburg (September 22-26), we’ll be hosting a multi-format trends event on september 25. Including a keynote from our Africa Regional Director Lola Pedro, an interactive trends master class, a panel discussion with some of South Africa’s most prominent voices in the creative industries, and an exclusive fireside chat with disruptor Uber SA’s country manager. Hope to see you there!
Join us at Social Media Week Johannesburg?
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