MTN Rwanda has today announced the launch of a partnership with ‘ayoba’, an easy to use instant messaging platform that includes informative channels as well as gaming.
Developed in Africa to spread throughout the world, ayoba allows everyone to use the app worldwide. MTN customers will be able to communicate at no data cost with all their contacts.
Commenting on this milestone, MTN’s Chief Marketing Officer, Richard Acheampong said, “Our mission is to lead digital for a brighter Rwanda. We are pleased to announce the launch of an app that everyone can benefit from, regardless of their network. We see the launch of this app, especially important during this period where citizens are staying at home to stay safe in the fight against COVID19. With this app, MTN customers can stay connected to one another for free.”
Having downloaded the ayoba app from the Google Play Store or www.ayoba.me, users can instantly send and receive text and voice messages with any of their contacts. If the recipient of the message does not have the ayoba app installed, they will receive it as an SMS. MTN customers (only) can additionally, respond to the SMS for free.
“In our efforts to support the community during this period the app allows MTN Customers to send messages to one another for free. There are also sections for Global News on COVID19, Sports, Gaming and other Entertainment. All these sections can be accessed for free,” added Acheampong.
The app, available in Kinyarwanda and English is set to feature Mobile Money, Music, Chatbot integration for the purchase of data and airtime in the near future. The app also boasts end-to-end encryption to ensure that messages in a conversation are secure.
Speaking about this partnership, Olivier Prentout, ayoba’s Head of Consumer Marketing noted “We are delighted to partner with MTN in Rwanda and to offer their customers the ability to use the app with no data costs. In the coming weeks our app will surely become a super app as we will be adding mobile money features, music, as well as allowing other apps to co-exist in ayoba. We would like to take this opportunity to thank MTN Rwanda for trusting our journey”.
Ayoba is available for download on the Google Play Store for Android users and via the ayoba website www.ayoba.me as a free download for MTN users.
For more information, please contact:
MTN PR Desk
Teta Mpyisi
About MTN Rwanda:
MTN Rwanda is the market leader in the mobile telecommunications industry in Rwanda. Since 1998, MTN Rwanda has continuously invested in expanding and modernizing its network and is now proudly Rwanda’s No 1 Internet Network. MTN Rwanda offers superior services to its subscriber base, including innovative propositions such as personalized voice and data offers with MTN Irekure. The company is also the front runner in Mobile Financial Services in Rwanda with Mobile Money, MoMoPay and MoKash Loans and Savings.
About ayoba:
Although Africa is one continent, it is also the home to hundreds of unique cultures. Ayoba celebrates the diversity of Africa by providing a world-class messaging platform that reflects local needs and aspirations. Ayoba is an advanced communications application under an independent Over the Top (OTT) brand with unique features for MTN customers. The app supports many local languages spoken across Africa and the Middle East including Kinyarwanda, isiXhosa, Pidgin, Yoruba, Swahili, Hausa, French and English.
Some of ayoba’s key features and offerings are:
- Local languages: Ayoba is available in the top local languages in the markets where the offering has launched.
- Chat now: Users can instantly send and receive text and voice messages with any of their contacts regardless of device type or network.
- Security: End-to-end encryption means that messages in a conversation cannot be read by anyone else.
- Chat with everyone: Users can send SMS text messages with anyone in their contact list, regardless of whether they’ve installed ayoba or not.
Channels: Users can subscribe to Channels for locally relevant content across various categories as well as gaming.
