Background

MTN, a leading telecom company in Africa and Asia, is losing user acquisition in Nigeria despite a 35% market share. Young Nigerians prefer competitors like Airtel and Glo due to superior digital engagement. To address this, MTN launched the Next Gen initiative, focusing on revamping its digital touchpoints, including a major overhaul of the MTN App.

Problem

MTN Nigeria's current app effectively supports essential functions like recharges and payments but falls short of meeting the evolving expectations of tech-savvy Millennials and Gen Z users. Competitors have transformed their apps into lifestyle hubs offering music, movies, and other engaging services, making them more appealing to younger audiences. To remain competitive, MTN needs to reimagine its app as a comprehensive lifestyle platform that not only matches but surpasses competitor offerings by integrating diverse, value-added services and creating a more engaging, all-in-one digital experience.

Solution

To transform the MTN app into a lifestyle platform that meets the comprehensive digital needs of Millennials and Gen Z, it must become a central hub for entertainment, productivity, and connectivity. To achieve this, the MTN app needs to:

• Integrate music, movies, gaming, e-books, and podcasts with localized and culturally relevant content.

• Deliver tailored recommendations for entertainment, data plans, and lifestyle services.

• Balance new features with existing core functionalities like recharges and payments.

• Introduce challenges and loyalty programs with redeemable rewards for app engagement.

• Ensure the app remains lightweight, fast, and data-efficient for diverse user needs..

• Gather user feedback and use analytics to release regular updates and innovative features.

  

Understanding Nigerian Users

To successfully transform the MTN app into a lifestyle platform, it is essential to deeply understand the unique preferences, behaviors, and cultural nuances of Nigerian Millennials and Gen Z users.

Research Areas to Understand Nigerian Millennials and Gen Z Users

• Cultural Preferences and Influences

• Digital Behavior and App Usage

• Personalization Expectations

• Economic and Technological Constraints

• Competitor Analysis

• Gamification and Loyalty

• User Pain Points and Frustrations

• Trust and Reliability

• Future Aspirations

  
  

Interview Outcomes

• Users prefer localized and culturally relevant content like Nigerian music, Nollywood movies, and local podcasts.

• A multifunctional app consolidating entertainment, productivity, and connectivity is highly desirable.

• Data efficiency and lightweight app size are critical due to high data costs and limited storage.

• Gamification features such as challenges, rewards, and loyalty programs enhance engagement.

• Personalized recommendations for entertainment and data plans are valued by users.

• Smooth performance for core functionalities like recharges and payments remains essential.

• Social and productivity tools like group chats or collaborative workspaces are appealing.

• Trust in data privacy and robust app security are significant concerns for users.

• A modern, vibrant, and intuitive interface is crucial to attract and retain younger audiences.

• Regular updates and innovative features are expected to keep the app competitive.

  
  

Framing & Shaping

The revamped MTN app features a personalized onboarding process to capture user preferences, such as entertainment options, app themes, and language settings, creating a tailored experience. Users can skip steps and complete them later. Non-MTN users can easily migrate or order a new SIM through a dedicated flow, while an integrated online KYC ensures seamless identity verification. This streamlined onboarding sets the stage for an engaging and user-focused experience.

The MTN recharge journey was reimagined to align with users' mental models and address key pain points and preferences identified through research. A significant insight revealed that 68% of online recharges for MTN users are performed by family or friends who are more tech-savvy. To cater to this behavior, we prioritized the "Recharge for Others" feature in the workflow. This functionality allows users to save the details of their family and friends, enabling quick and convenient recharges for them. The redesigned journey also ensures a seamless and intuitive experience, making it easier for users to manage recharges, whether for themselves or others. This thoughtful approach not only addresses a critical user need but also strengthens MTN’s commitment to providing a user-centric and efficient digital experience.

To transform the MTN app into a comprehensive lifestyle platform, MTN Nigeria strategically decided to integrate entertainment options comparable to those offered by competitors. To achieve this, they partnered with several streaming services and acquired exclusive rights to select entertainment content. The app now features a dedicated "Play" section, bringing together movies, music, games, and other entertainment options. This category is prominently displayed on the landing page and accessible via the bottom navigation for ease of use. The design of these entertainment features was carefully crafted to align with users' mental models, drawing inspiration from popular entertainment apps, whether direct competitors or adjacent platforms. This thoughtful integration enhances user engagement by offering a seamless, familiar, and enriched digital entertainment experience.

The revamped MTN app introduces "Bundles," which are combination packs that include airtime, data, and a variety of other benefits. While similar combo offers existed in the previous version of the app, they were limited in number and lacked variety. With the addition of numerous entertainment options and integrations in the new app, a broader range of bundles has been created to offer more personalized choices. A recommendation engine has been developed to ensure that only the most relevant bundles are presented to users, based on their usage habits and past purchase behaviors. This dynamic approach not only makes it easier for users to find bundles that suit their specific needs but also enhances the overall user experience by delivering tailored offers that maximize value, whether for data, airtime, or entertainment. This ensures a seamless and customized experience, helping users make informed decisions based on their unique preferences and patterns.

The revamped MTN app now includes cross-platform promotions, coupons, and exclusive offers that are awarded to users when they meet specific criteria. To further enhance engagement, the app introduces a tiered system where users earn badges based on their activity and usage. These badges unlock various benefits and rewards, with higher tiers offering more valuable perks. This tiered approach is designed to encourage users to engage more consistently with the app, driving user retention by rewarding loyalty and activity. By offering incentives based on user behavior, MTN fosters a sense of progression and recognition, motivating users to stay engaged and continue using the app to access exclusive promotions and benefits.

We prioritized simplicity and clarity in every aspect of the app, ensuring that all interactions are intuitive and easy to use. Each design phase was followed by extensive usability testing, allowing us to gather valuable feedback and ensure that users were satisfied with the interface and functionality. This process helped us fine-tune the app’s visual design and interaction elements, focusing on delivering a seamless and engaging experience. In addition to usability testing, we carefully considered accessibility to ensure that the app is inclusive and can be easily navigated by users with varying needs. This comprehensive approach to visual design, interaction design, and accessibility ensures that the MTN app not only meets user expectations but also provides a smooth and enjoyable experience for all users, regardless of their technical expertise or physical abilities.

Impact

The MTN app redesign added 5 million users in two years, driven by improved usability, personalized features, and seamless interactions. With a focus on accessibility and user satisfaction, the app earned consistent 4+ star ratings on both the App Store and Play Store, significantly boosting user engagement and retention.

Role

As one of the designers involved in the app's development, I played a pivotal role in designing and enhancing several user journeys, including airtime recharge, bundles, referrals, and play. My contributions focused on improving the overall user experience by conducting user research, collaborating with stakeholders and cross-functional teams, and designing the app from sketches to high-fidelity prototypes. Additionally, I conducted usability testing to ensure the designs were intuitive and user-friendly

Skills Acquired

• Deepened understanding of conducting user research and usability testing to gather valuable insights for refining design decisions.

• Enhanced ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and stakeholders, ensuring alignment between design solutions and business objectives.

• Strengthened skills in transforming design concepts from sketches to high-fidelity prototypes, improving visual communication.

• Deepened understanding of how to present and communicate design solutions effectively to diverse audiences, ensuring stakeholder alignment.