Mobile news service launched in Nigeria

Azubuike Ishiekwene, executive director of publications at Punch Nigeria Limited

“The newspaper business is essentially about providing useful and relevant information to people when, where and how they need it. Mobile Punch will deliver the news to our readers with the ease, flexibility and convenience that the mobile phone provides. We will also provide updates, all in the racy, dependable and credible tradition of Punch,” said Azubuike Ishiekwene, executive director of publications at Punch Nigeria Limited in a press release.

Plans to unveil the new service had been postponed after it was found that many of the online banking systems in the country were not capable of processing payments for the service.

“Although a number of Nigerian banks claim to provide online, real time services, we found that very few of them actually have the software that will suit our operations,” said Ishiekwene to RAP 21. The banks however, updated their systems to allow for easier online payment transactions.

Mobile phone use continues to skyrocket in Nigeria. About 60 million people have mobile phones, and 16% of those users have mobile phone access to the internet, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission. “The Punch is targeting 960,000 of these users (or 10% of the people who have mobile internet) within one year of the launch,” said Ishiekwene.

The paper hopes the new service will be able to bring more news to people living in rural areas.

“For a country like ours where infrastructure is still a major challenge, and the cost of the newspaper is high relative to disposal income, I think there's a great future for our mobile service, both from the reading and marketing points of view,” said Ishiekwene.

Article published courtesy of RAP 21