The global business competitiveness thrives on digitalisation of which mobile marketing is not left out. Mobile marketing is one of the ways of contributing to economic growth in developing countries of Africa especially Nigeria. 

Just as the name implies, mobile marketing is any advertising activity that promotes products and services via mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. It is focused on building relationships with users, delivering personalized experiences and maximizing user engagement.

Following the activities of mobile marketing today, the Nigerian economy has experienced significant growth in recent years, with mobile marketing playing a vital role in this space. The country’s increasing internet penetration and widespread use of mobile devices have created a thriving digital marketplace.

Speaking on the impact of mobile marketing on Nigerian economy, a digital market executive at Nero Global Links Investment Limited, Odo Nicodemus Chimaobi said that mobile marketing has enabled Nigerian businesses to reach a wider audience, promoting products and services with an increase in revenue. 

He said again that it has provided valuable market data and insights to businesses, enabling them to make informed decisions that target and promote their efforts more effectively.

According to Chimaobi, though mobile marketing in Nigeria has attained a certain level of growth, there are certain challenges that need to be addressed which include infrastructure, low levels of digital literacy, and insecurity among others.  “As a country, we need to address these challenges for further development of the digital economy and overall economic growth.

Continuing, he said “on the overall, mobile marketing has had a positive impact on the Nigerian economy and presents significant opportunities for businesses expansion and contribute to the country’s ongoing development”.  

“However, more than 40 percent of the smartphones imported to Africa are sold in Nigeria, this is an indication that mobile marketing in Nigeria and beyond has gone viral. It’s also signifying that smartphone is now the leader in digital marketing. Consumers now spend more time using several applications on their mobile devices”.

I really consider the smartphone as a huge innovation as far as digital marketing is concerned. A huge percentage of individuals always have their smartphones on them at every point in time”. 

Chimaobi said further that mobile marketing is growing massive and is forecast to exceed desktop Internet access in many developing countries, especially in Nigeria.

“So as a digital marketer, it is imperative for you to tap into the opportunities reaching existing and prospective customers via mobile and how to make their mobile sites and presence visible and very much accessible”.

However, he said, “know that people are spending more money on their mobile devices, too. Companies are increasing ad money and efforts to reach out to customers via mobile. As a result, Nigeria and beyond mobile marketing will be an even more important strategy for brands and advertisers that want to stay competitive and in touch with consumers.

Progressively in Africa today, Nigeria has the largest mobile market with more than 140 million subscribers and a penetration above 100%.

The rapid growth has led to the problems of network congestion and quality of service, prompting the telecom regulators to impose fines and sanctions. Network operators invest billions of dollars in base stations and fibre optic transmission infrastructure to support the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth”.

Continuing, Chimaobi said that the truth remains that the level of purchases done via mobile last year will be twice this year considering the way Nigerians constantly embrace mobile marketing. 

Discussing on mobile market strategy, Chimaobi said that for businesses to succeed via mobile marketing in Nigeria, there are strategies that will help you promote your brands. “Even though mobile marketing is complex, using those solid strategies and ensuring that your brand’s materials are compatible with the latest technologies, you can rest assured that your brand will maintain a competitive advantage. The following tips below can help ensure that your brand is optimally positioned”.