South African telecom giant MTN Group is shutting down its homegrown messaging and super app Ayoba, ending a seven-year effort to create an African rival to global platforms such as WhatsApp.
The company confirmed that Ayoba will no longer be available for download on app stores from March 20, after giving users a 30-day window from February 20 to reinstall the application before permanent delisting.
Launched in 2019 as an all-in-one platform offering messaging, voice and video calls, music, games and micro-apps, Ayoba was heavily promoted with free data for MTN subscribers in a bid to drive adoption across the continent.
The app reached a peak of more than 35 million monthly active users by April 2024 and had targeted 100 million, but struggled to retain meaningful engagement once promotional incentives were scaled back.
MTN said persistent technical issues, including verification problems that hindered re-registration in several markets, further eroded user interest.
The decision marks the end of one of Africa’s most ambitious attempts to build a locally driven digital platform, leaving millions of users who relied on it for free messaging and entertainment services to seek alternatives.
