MTN Group has announced it will shut down its Ayoba messaging and super app, bringing to an end its years-long push to build a homegrown African alternative to global platforms like WhatsApp.
The company confirmed that Ayoba will no longer be available for download on app stores from March 20, 2026, after giving users a 30-day window from February 20 to reinstall the app before its final delisting.
Launched in 2019, Ayoba was introduced as an all-in-one digital platform offering messaging, voice and video calls, music, games, and micro-app services. MTN heavily backed the app with incentives, including free data access for its subscribers, in a bid to drive mass adoption across African markets.
At its peak, Ayoba recorded over 35 million monthly active users by April 2024, with MTN projecting growth to 100 million users across the continent. The platform was positioned as a key part of the company’s broader ambition to build “a truly African digital ecosystem powered by local innovation.”
However, sustaining user engagement proved difficult. While the free data model helped attract users, it did not translate into long-term retention. As one industry observer noted, “the growth was largely incentive-driven, not product-driven.”
The app also faced technical setbacks, with users reporting persistent verification issues that made re-registration difficult in several markets by 2025. As incentives declined, many users gradually migrated back to more established platforms, weakening Ayoba’s relevance.
