How Nigeria May Save Blackberry

It is no secret that BlackBerry is a far greater force in the developing world than it is in its home continent of North America.

Sales outside North America make up 70% of total revenue, and regions making the biggest contribution to that chunk of income include South Africa, Indonesia, and Mexico.

Soon, Nigeria may be added to the list. BlackBerry is already the number one smartphone brand there, but in a tiny smartphone market – which comprises less than 5% of the phone market. And that is without having direct representation on the ground.

In the next two months, a BlackBerry office will open in Lagos, and Nigeria will become a specific target market. The news was revealed by Robert Bose, head of RIM for Central Europe, Middle East and Africa, at the recent BlackBerry World conference in Orlando, Florida.

The significance cannot be overstated. Even with only 5% of the mobile market being smartphones.

In most Western developed markers, all eyes would be on that smartphone chunk, both because it typically makes up half of the phone market in such territories, but also because it is a definitive marker of who leads the market.

Americans, therefore, look with bemusement at markets like South Africa, where BlackBerry owns half the smartphone user base, and is even voted the coolest brand by teenagers.

Guess what? The same is happening in Nigeria.

And guess what else? Growth in Nigeria is about to make South Africa look like a slow Sunday at the sewing machine store.

High hopes

The hidden factor behind BlackBerry’s success in Africa is one simple word: aspiration. It is the business phone that denotes having made it – even if you’re not in business. Strangely, the iPhone does not carry that cachet. It denotes someone with money, but it is also regarded as an expensive toy rather than a tool. In Nigeria, there is little aspiration for toys.

“The brand has gone viral in Nigeria, to the extent that a Nollywood (Nigeria’s Hollywood) movie was made about people trying to acquire a BlackBerry*,” says Bose. “We’re opening an office in Lagos in the next 60 days.”

Underpinning the appeal of the brand is the access it provides. The R59 a month unlimited Internet deal has been critical to its success in South Africa. BlackBerry data packages are now expected to be the key to the Nigeria market.

BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), too, has been core to success in markets where BlackBerry dominates smartphones. It is those markets where take-up of BBM is highest among BlackBerry users: 99% in South Africa and 97% in Nigeria.

And then there is affordability. In markets like South Africa, Indonesia, Mexico and Nigeria, BlackBerry’s secret weapon was the Curve 8520. It is the single most popular smartphone model – across all brands – in each of these countries.

Bring them all

Which brings me to the other remarkable feature of the Nigerian smartphone market: BlackBerry sells as many high-end models there as it does low-end Curves.

“A lot of people expect that the only devices we would sell in Nigeria would be the 8520 or the cheapest phones,” says Waldi Wepener, RIM’s regional director for East, Central and West Africa. “But we sell as many at the high end.

“Because Nigeria is not a subsidised market, and operators don’t subsidise devices down to zero, the price of the device at the user level is very visible. And that doesn’t hold back the market.”

The 8520 sells at up to US$200, while the Bold 9900 has a price tag of around $600.

Counterfeit devices, which bedevil the sales of brands like Apple in particular, are not as great a problem for RIM. Again, it comes back to the aspirational nature of the market. “Nigerians want to feel they are holding the authentic product.”

In short, customers do not merely want to be seen to be successful, but to feel they really are successful.

Therein lies BlackBerry’s new hope, and its potential to confound those who predict it cannot survive its current loss of Western market share.

Consider this: in a market of 100 million phone users, where only 5 million use smartphones, and half of those are BlackBerry devices, what will happen when the market begins a mass migration to smartphones?

If the Nigerian market remains true to form and aspiration, that means a market of tens of millions of units available to RIM in the next two to four years. Now repeat that equation in Indonesia, the fourth most populous country in the world (Nigeria is at number seven).

Yes, the American market is critical, and it is where both innovation and opinion carry the most weight. But if RIM is building a new future, the foundations are emerging right now in developing markets like Nigeria.

http://businessnews.com.ng/2012/05/23/how-nigeria-may-save-blackberry/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=how-nigeria-may-save-blackberry

Great article. Although I am an Android user and hater of all things BlackBerry.

^I am just about to start using my Android more, the interface is more slick and I daresay more fun than blackberry.

I felt insulted when I read the part in the article where it said most people buy a BB for the reason of aspiration and creating the impression of having "arrived". Well, I'm not most people. And that is not the reason why I bought my BB and I'm sure a lot of other share the same thought.

I was tired of hearing all the noise people kept making about the superiority of Androids, iOS and other OS over BB OS. iPhones are grossly over-priced and over-hyped. I had a bad experience with Samsung and the rest all look like China phones to me and so I got a Nokia N900. The fone has been a dead weight in my pocket. I tried browsing (which is my main interest in phones) and my entire credit was wiped out in a short time. I tried downloading Operamini v11 (there's only the Beta version for the fone). Didn't work. Conflict with the phone's Maemo 5 OS. Opera 6.5 won't download and as I discovered, there is no Opera mini version for N900. Anybody with a counter opinion should pls shout it. Now I hardly browse with the fone for fear of burning my credit and I'm back to relying on my BB.

As far as I'm concerned, BB is the best phone for the majority of Nigerians. Not everyone is a phone geek, or gamer who has to constantly rely on phone cheats and tricks to get low-cost browsing. Let's call a spade a spade.

^Don't get me wrong, I like the blackberry too but I don't think it is worth the hype it gets here in Nigeria.

Tinyemeka: I felt insulted when I read the part in the article where it said most people buy a BB for the reason of aspiration and creating the impression of having "arrived". Well, I'm not most people. And that is not the reason why I bought my BB and I'm sure a lot of other share the same thought.

I was tired of hearing all the noise people kept making about the superiority of Androids, iOS and other OS over BB OS. iPhones are grossly over-priced and over-hyped. I had a bad experience with Samsung and the rest all look like China phones to me and so I got a Nokia N900. The fone has been a dead weight in my pocket. I tried browsing (which is my main interest in phones) and my entire credit was wiped out in a short time. I tried downloading Operamini v11 (there's only the Beta version for the fone). Didn't work. Conflict with the phone's Maemo 5 OS. Opera 6.5 won't download and as I discovered, there is no Opera mini version for N900. Anybody with a counter opinion should pls shout it. Now I hardly browse with the fone for fear of burning my credit and I'm back to relying on my BB.

As far as I'm concerned, BB is the best phone for the majority of Nigerians. Not everyone is a phone geek, or gamer who has to constantly rely on phone cheats and tricks to get low-cost browsing. Let's call a spade a spade.

ok, so you are just another ignoramus with more money than know how!!

good, why the rant?

the thread is firmly about RIM and the thousands of BB's they are bringing to you in nigeria, so why the aggro about android and iphone? is it our fault that you are not savvy enough to use them?

pls keep your rants to yourself.



your post reeks of ignorance.

opera mini for N900
opera conflicting with the OS
opera 6.5 wont download

wetin, na only opera be your problem? dem take am do you?


That you know nothing about a phone/platform and you supposedly went to plunk your money on it speaks volumes sef. and FYI N900 runs neither android or ios!!



even worse you cannot browse because of burning your credit?

HELLOOOO, one would think that with the amount of marketing MTN and co do, you would have heard about Data Plans!!




fact is, do not insult our intelligence, do u even know that you are meant to subscribe for BIS?

mcheew, warrahell, i doubt if this nucca ever bought a smartfone in his life sef. ignorantia

Heh. Interesting. Blackberry is getting their azz kicked in North America and Europe...somehow amusing that they might find their salvation in Nigeria.

I think the major reason why blackberry is very successful in Nigeria is because of the low tariffs,when compared to other phones.When you pay about 1,500naira monthly,you can browse unlimitedly for the month without worrying about your credit getting finished or not,but when you use other phones like android etc you keep worrying whether your credit will take you for up to a month or not.
I have both blackberry and Android and I hardly use my android to browse because of the reasons above

4llerbuntu:



ok, so you are just another ignoramus with more money than know how!!

good, why the rant?

the thread is firmly about RIM and the thousands of BB's they are bringing to you in nigeria, so why the aggro about android and iphone? is it our fault that you are not savvy enough to use them?

pls keep your rants to yourself.



your post reeks of ignorance.

opera mini for N900
opera conflicting with the OS
opera 6.5 wont download

wetin, na only opera be your problem? dem take am do you?


That you know nothing about a phone/platform and you supposedly went to plunk your money on it speaks volumes sef. and FYI N900 runs neither android or ios!!



even worse you cannot browse because of burning your credit?

HELLOOOO, one would think that with the amount of marketing MTN and co do, you would have heard about Data Plans!!




fact is, do not insult our intelligence, do u even know that you are meant to subscribe for BIS?

mcheew, warrahell, i doubt if this nucca ever bought a smartfone in his life sef. ignorantia

ice_zik: Great article. Although I am an Android user and hater of all things BlackBerry.

Me too, and i dont think nigeria market can save BB

chyket: I think the major reason why blackberry is very successful in Nigeria is because of the low tariffs,when compared to other phones.When you pay about 1,500naira monthly,you can browse unlimitedly for the month without worrying about your credit getting finished or not,but when you use other phones like android etc you keep worrying whether your credit will take you for up to a month or not.
I have both blackberry and Android and I hardly use my android to browse because of the reasons above

You are right but that might change once wifi becomes more widespread. Android on wifi is just awesome!

chyket: I think the major reason why blackberry is very successful in Nigeria is because of the low tariffs,when compared to other phones.When you pay about 1,500naira monthly,you can browse unlimitedly for the month without worrying about your credit getting finished or not,but when you use other phones like android etc you keep worrying whether your credit will take you for up to a month or not.
I have both blackberry and Android and I hardly use my android to browse because of the reasons above

Very correct. Andriods drink data bundle like water.

Fxmarket:

Me too, and [b]i dont think Nigerian market can save BB[/b]

It can O. Don't you know how desperate Nigerian youths are to own a Blackberry. Why-O-Why did I not enter the BB Sales business from the beginning?

maclatunji:

It can O. Don't you know how desperate Nigerian youths are to own a Blackberry. Why-O-Why did I not enter the BB Sales business from the beginning?

Na. If you lose North America and Europe, Nigeria and the developing world won't be enough to save you.

It isn't as if they are dominating huge markets like China or India. China, Android and iPhone are popular there.

RIM is in the process of firing 2000-6000 workers:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/rim-layoffs-blackberry-10-all-in-or-get-out/78268

The long-term prospects of this company don't look great, at least right now.

Tinyemeka: I felt insulted when I read the part in the article where it said most people buy a BB for the reason of aspiration and creating the impression of having "arrived". Well, I'm not most people. And that is not the reason why I bought my BB and I'm sure a lot of other share the same thought.

I was tired of hearing all the noise people kept making about the superiority of Androids, iOS and other OS over BB OS. iPhones are grossly over-priced and over-hyped. I had a bad experience with Samsung and the rest all look like China phones to me and so I got a Nokia N900. The fone has been a dead weight in my pocket. I tried browsing (which is my main interest in phones) and my entire credit was wiped out in a short time. I tried downloading Operamini v11 (there's only the Beta version for the fone). Didn't work. Conflict with the phone's Maemo 5 OS. Opera 6.5 won't download and as I discovered, there is no Opera mini version for N900. Anybody with a counter opinion should pls shout it. Now I hardly browse with the fone for fear of burning my credit and I'm back to relying on my BB.

As far as I'm concerned, BB is the best phone for the majority of Nigerians. Not everyone is a phone geek, or gamer who has to constantly rely on phone cheats and tricks to get low-cost browsing. Let's call a spade a spade.

True. Those are basic facts

maclatunji:

It can O. Don't you know how desperate Nigerian youths are to own a Blackberry. Why-O-Why did I not enter the BB Sales business from the beginning?

May be when around 80% of naija primary school pupils start using curve cos Nigeria economy is not that flamboyant.

Grabbing a Popcorn

ekt_bear:

Na. If you lose North America and Europe, Nigeria and the developing world won't be enough to save you.

It isn't as if they are dominating huge markets like China or India. China, Android and iPhone are popular there.

Did you read the article at all? I am not saying the Nigerian market will help RIM compete with Apple, Samsung and Nokia but at least it will help keep the company alive long enough for it to restructure and come-out with a new ground-breaking product or for it to be bought-over by some other company.

saxywale:

May be when around 80% of naija primary school pupils start using curve cos Nigeria economy is not that flamboyant.

Read before commenting.

Bring them all

Which brings me to the other remarkable feature of the Nigerian smartphone market: BlackBerry sells as many high-end models there as it does low-end Curves.

“A lot of people expect that the only devices we would sell in Nigeria would be the 8520 or the cheapest phones,” says Waldi Wepener, RIM’s regional director for East, Central and West Africa. “But we sell as many at the high end.

“Because Nigeria is not a subsidised market, and operators don’t subsidise devices down to zero, the price of the device at the user level is very visible. And that doesn’t hold back the market.”

The 8520 sells at up to US$200, while the Bold 9900 has a price tag of around $600.

Iranoladun: Good for Blackberry!

As for me I just drop their 9700 for Galaxy Tab 10.1. I have used two 9700 within 8 months, 1st one crashed and was not recoverable so I bought a new one less than 6 months 2nd one screen went blank. Since I crossed over to Tablet I have been asking myself why I did not make the change earlier. BB is just too expensive with limited facilities and the Nigeria hype does not help with everyone pinging

If they do not reduce their acquisition prices and BIS plan prices I doubt if they will be able to sustain the hype! They should target the youth especially undergraduates!

The youths are moving on to Android despite the aggressive marketing of BB by telcos in Nigeria..Thank God for brilliant markets apps like whatsapp e.t.c and some very cheap android OS phones you can get for $70.

maclatunji:

Did you read the article at all? I am not saying the Nigerian market will help RIM compete with Apple, Samsung and Nokia but at least it will help keep the company alive long enough for it to restructure and come-out with a new ground-breaking product or for it to be bought-over by some other company.

That I read the article doesn't mean that I necessarily agree with its conclusion...

And 70% are living in poverty oooo. So only politicians are using BB? Or the poor living below 2 dollar were able to afford BB? Instead of bliving those foreign press who want nothing good for africa, we are suppose to counter what they say...those Guys picks figures without verifying, inasmuch it is africa!
Now how practicable is it for 70% of a country's population to live in poverty? Smh

saxywale:

The youths are moving on to Android despite the aggressive marketing of BB by telcos in Nigeria..Thank God for brilliant markets apps like whatsapp e.t.c

Skype is my favorite Android app atm. Call my family in Nigeria for free without necessarily having to be at a computer (just need Wi-Fi available).

these apps are sweet..

speedyboi: And 70% are living in poverty oooo. So only politicians are using BB? Or the poor living below 2 dollar were able to afford BB? Instead of bliving those foreign press who want nothing good for africa, we are suppose to counter what they say...those Guys picks figures without verifying, inasmuch it is africa!
Now how practicable is it for 70% of a country's population to live in poverty? Smh

Thank you. IMO, I wonder how many people can afford a $200 phone in Nigeria. To make matters worse, It's not even subsidized by telcos. Doesn't seem RIM has factored the UK used entering the market via computer village and its likes.

Tinyemeka: I felt insulted when I read the part in the article where it said most people buy a BB for the reason of aspiration and creating the impression of having "arrived". Well, I'm not most people. And that is not the reason why I bought my BB and I'm sure a lot of other share the same thought.

I was tired of hearing all the noise people kept making about the superiority of Androids, iOS and other OS over BB OS. iPhones are grossly over-priced and over-hyped. I had a bad experience with Samsung and the rest all look like China phones to me and so I got a Nokia N900. The fone has been a dead weight in my pocket. I tried browsing (which is my main interest in phones) and my entire credit was wiped out in a short time. I tried downloading Operamini v11 (there's only the Beta version for the fone). Didn't work. Conflict with the phone's Maemo 5 OS. Opera 6.5 won't download and as I discovered, there is no Opera mini version for N900. Anybody with a counter opinion should pls shout it. Now I hardly browse with the fone for fear of burning my credit and I'm back to relying on my BB.

As far as I'm concerned, BB is the best phone for the majority of Nigerians. Not everyone is a phone geek, or gamer who has to constantly rely on phone cheats and tricks to get low-cost browsing. Let's call a spade a spade.

are you fucking kidding me? U tried browsing but it swapped ur credit?lol dude there is something like mb okay

Tinyemeka: I felt insulted when I read the part in the article where it said most people buy a BB for the reason of aspiration and creating the impression of having "arrived". Well, I'm not most people. And that is not the reason why I bought my BB and I'm sure a lot of other share the same thought.

I was tired of hearing all the noise people kept making about the superiority of Androids, iOS and other OS over BB OS. iPhones are grossly over-priced and over-hyped. I had a bad experience with Samsung and the rest all look like China phones to me and so I got a Nokia N900. The fone has been a dead weight in my pocket. I tried browsing (which is my main interest in phones) and my entire credit was wiped out in a short time. I tried downloading Operamini v11 (there's only the Beta version for the fone). Didn't work. Conflict with the phone's Maemo 5 OS. Opera 6.5 won't download and as I discovered, there is no Opera mini version for N900. Anybody with a counter opinion should pls shout it. Now I hardly browse with the fone for fear of burning my credit and I'm back to relying on my BB.

As far as I'm concerned, BB is the best phone for the majority of Nigerians. Not everyone is a phone geek, or gamer who has to constantly rely on phone cheats and tricks to get low-cost browsing. Let's call a spade a spade.

and let's call a shovel, a shovel, i hate blackberries. And abt your N900, do u knw d yr d phone was made? It was an old symbian phone. Why dnt u start wit d n8, n9, e5, e6, 702 or c7. Pls, go on an adventure!

ice_zik: Great article. Although I am an Android user and hater of all things BlackBerry.

Same here

Tinyemeka: I felt insulted when I read the part in the article where it said most people buy a BB for the reason of aspiration and creating the impression of having "arrived". Well, I'm not most people. And that is not the reason why I bought my BB and I'm sure a lot of other share the same thought.

I was tired of hearing all the noise people kept making about the superiority of Androids, iOS and other OS over BB OS. iPhones are grossly over-priced and over-hyped. I had a bad experience with Samsung and the rest all look like China phones to me and so I got a Nokia N900. The fone has been a dead weight in my pocket. I tried browsing (which is my main interest in phones) and my entire credit was wiped out in a short time. I tried downloading Operamini v11 (there's only the Beta version for the fone). Didn't work. Conflict with the phone's Maemo 5 OS. Opera 6.5 won't download and as I discovered, there is no Opera mini version for N900. Anybody with a counter opinion should pls shout it. Now I hardly browse with the fone for fear of burning my credit and I'm back to relying on my BB.

As far as I'm concerned, BB is the best phone for the majority of Nigerians. Not everyone is a phone geek, or gamer who has to constantly rely on phone cheats and tricks to get low-cost browsing. Let's call a spade a spade.

[b]

Tinyemeka: I felt insulted when I read the part in the article where it said most people buy a BB for the reason of aspiration and creating the impression of having "arrived". Well, I'm not most people. And that is not the reason why I bought my BB and I'm sure a lot of other share the same thought.

I was tired of hearing all the noise people kept making about the superiority of Androids, iOS and other OS over BB OS. iPhones are grossly over-priced and over-hyped. I had a bad experience with Samsung and the rest all look like China phones to me and so I got a Nokia N900. The fone has been a dead weight in my pocket. I tried browsing (which is my main interest in phones) and my entire credit was wiped out in a short time. I tried downloading Operamini v11 (there's only the Beta version for the fone). Didn't work. Conflict with the phone's Maemo 5 OS. Opera 6.5 won't download and as I discovered, there is no Opera mini version for N900. Anybody with a counter opinion should pls shout it. Now I hardly browse with the fone for fear of burning my credit and I'm back to relying on my BB.

As far as I'm concerned, BB is the best phone for the majority of Nigerians. Not everyone is a phone geek, or gamer who has to constantly rely on phone cheats and tricks to get low-cost browsing. Let's call a spade a spade.

[/b]

Tinyemeka: I felt insulted when I read the part in the article where it said most people buy a BB for the reason of aspiration and creating the impression of having "arrived". Well, I'm not most people. And that is not the reason why I bought my BB and I'm sure a lot of other share the same thought.

I was tired of hearing all the noise people kept making about the superiority of Androids, iOS and other OS over BB OS. iPhones are grossly over-priced and over-hyped. I had a bad experience with Samsung and the rest all look like China phones to me and so I got a Nokia N900. The fone has been a dead weight in my pocket. I tried browsing (which is my main interest in phones) and my entire credit was wiped out in a short time. I tried downloading Operamini v11 (there's only the Beta version for the fone). Didn't work. Conflict with the phone's Maemo 5 OS. Opera 6.5 won't download and as I discovered, there is no Opera mini version for N900. Anybody with a counter opinion should pls shout it. Now I hardly browse with the fone for fear of burning my credit and I'm back to relying on my BB.

As far as I'm concerned, BB is the best phone for the majority of Nigerians. Not everyone is a phone geek, or gamer who has to constantly rely on phone cheats and tricks to get low-cost browsing. Let's call a spade a spade.

I can't disagree with u more. You can enjoy browsin on any nokia phone just like BB,all u need to do is subscribe for 250MB(on mtn data plan or dpendin on ur network)BBM is d only difference but who cares when their is WHATSAPP......b4 i forget,Nokia is cheaper with more MB

saxywale:

Thank you. IMO, I wonder how many people can afford a $200 phone in Nigeria. To make matters worse, It's not even subsidized by telcos. Doesn't seem RIM has factored the UK used entering the market via computer village and its likes.

Their figures are from GSM operators: MTN, Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat.