GRTech

Carry1st Drives Growth In Africa’s Gaming Industry, Supported By AppsFlyer

Published

3 years ago

March 24, 2022

Carry1st, one of Africa’s leading gaming publishers, has released new insights from its market data that highlights successes that have shaped their growth in the gaming sector.

Since the launch of SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off in October 2021, the game has managed to acquire more than 2 million users, ranking in the Top 5 most downloaded games across Africa. This has been possible by enlisting the support of technology developed by AppsFlyer to drive market growth.

Carry1st faced a number of challenges in growing Krusty Cook-Off’s user base at scale while still maintaining a healthy ROI. The African gaming market is complex, and many of the tried and tested user acquisition and monetization strategies that are prevalent in most regions aren’t as effective in Africa.

Moreover, ad networks are yet to prioritise targeting African markets. This means companies like Carry1st lack the required volume of ad inventory to help them scale up quickly. Finally, while SpongeBob is a household name in Europe and North America, the character wasn’t as well known in some African countries, meaning organic uplift was inconsistent.

Given AppsFlyer’s strong presence in the African market, Carry1st was able to work with their mobile measurement partner to identify and onboard new partners which helped them scale their acquisition efforts more efficiently. In addition, they were able to integrate AppsFlyer’s solutions into many strands of their gaming operations. These marketing tools; Xpend, OneLink and Cohort, have improved capacities for growth and profitability in Carry1st’s experience.

Xpend allowed Carry1st to combine their cost and revenue data to get clarity on their true ROI, allowing them to make more informed decisions on where to spend their budget. This was particularly important given the limited inventory options available in the African market. By using Xpend, Carry1st has won back approximately 32 hours per month because the process of collecting and compiling its cost and revenue data is no longer manual.

OneLink, a deep linking tool, allowed Carry1st to scale its influencer marketing campaign on Instagram and TikTok that was launched in a bid to counter inconsistent organic performance. Through OneLink it was able to measure the performance of each influencer, including South African chef Zola Nene, Egyptian influencer Yasser Ahmed, and the South African gamer Grant Hinds. For example, the company could get a deeper understanding as to who was driving the most installs, paying users, and loyal users. It also allowed Carry1st to provide a more contextual, frictionless experience, ensuring that users were sent to the right in-game page after they installed the app.

According to Tedj Tibourtine, Carry1st’s Senior User Acquisition & Ad Monetisation Manager, “Not only did the AppsFlyer team organise several onboarding sessions to help us leverage all the platform’s functionalities, but they also offered great support when we faced challenges such as iOS14 and Facebook’s privacy changes. As a marketer, having a team of people on top of industry changes and creating a product that offers the best possible data to continue working efficiently has been invaluable.”

Daniel Junowicz, Managing Director, LATAM & Africa, AppsFlyer, shared “Africa is a dynamic, rapidly growing market when it comes to mobile and gaming, but marketers in the region often face unique challenges. When companies like Carry1st integrate our tools into their projects, they are able to achieve record successes because they are working with teams that have a deep understanding of the local market, and products that are tailored to their specific needs. We’re looking forward to seeing Carry1st’s continued success across the continent”.

GRTech

Glo reduces international call rates

By Sandra Ani

Published

11 hours ago

August 17, 2025

grassroots

Technology Company, Globacom, has announced significant reductions in its International Direct Dialing (IDD) rates, making international calls more affordable for its existing and new customers across Nigeria.

Effective August 10, the new rates began applying to over 15 popular international destinations, including United States which will has moved to ₦30 per minute, down from ₦35, United Kingdom is now N350 from ₦400, while India also moved down to ₦40 from N45.

The rates for China, Saudi Arabia and Cameroon however recorded major reduction moving to N75, N300 and ₦700 respectively.

The reduction was also extended to African countries including Benin Republic which goes for ₦650 per minute, Niger Republic ₦750, Ghana ₦500, and Togo ₦650. United Arab Emirates also moved from ₦450 to ₦325, Germany to ₦550, Côte d’Ivoire ₦700, Libya ₦700, while calls to Malawi is now N1,100 from ₦1,200.

Glo aims to provide more value for its customers through these revised rates, encouraging them to make Glo their preferred network for international calls. New IDD bundles will also be introduced, offering frequent international callers even more attractive deals.

Globacom, which remained optimistic that frequent international callers will benefit immensely from the reductions in IDD bundles, enjoined customers to take advantage of the new rates to stay connected with friends and business associates across the globe.

GRTech

Oil subsidy removal freed up resources for infrastructure – Enugu Governor

By Orji Israel, South East Correspondent

Published

11 hours ago

August 17, 2025

grassroots

The Executive Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, has attributed the financing of numerous infrastructure projects embarked by the state government to the oil subsidy removal policy of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

He made this declaration at the Govermment House, Enugu, during a courtesy visit by a delegation of federal government led by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, as part of activities lined up for the 2-day Citizens’ Engagement Series in the South East geo-political zone.

“For us in Enugu, we are able to accomplish all we promised our people during the campaign, thanks to the bold decision taken by President Bola Tinubu, which has freed up resources needed to execute humongous capital projects,” said Governor, while listing ongoing projects in the state, which include the construction of 7,000 classrooms, 3,300 hospital beds and 2,000-hectare of 260 farm estates across the 260 wards of the state.

Governor Mbah also pledged more support for the policies of the federal government, saying they are in the best interest of the people of the state.

TechNews

Samsung Launches Vision AI TV: A New Era in Home Entertainment, Celebrating 19 Consecutive Years as the Global No. 1 TV Brand

Published

4 days ago

August 14, 2025

grassroots

L-r: Ikechukwu Ijeh, Head of Retail, Samsund Consumer Electronics; Jingak Chung, CE Product Manager, Samsung Electronics West Africa; Oge Maduagwu, Head of Marketing Communications Samsung Electronics West Africa; Tae Sun Lee, CEO Samsung Electronics West Africa; Harris Kwak, Business Manager Samsung Electronics West Africa; Ajay David, Head Consumer electronics ,Samsung West Africa, and Adekunle Adewale, Management Strategy, Samsung Consumer Electronics, Samsung West Africa, at the launch of Samsung Vision AI TV in Lagos

Samsung Electronics has announced the launch of its groundbreaking Samsung Vision AI TV, marking a bold new chapter in the company’s history of innovation and leadership in the television industry.

For 19 consecutive years, Samsung has held the position of the world’s No. 1 TV brand, a testament to its unwavering commitment to quality, design, and user experience. This remarkable journey of excellence has been defined by a series of world first innovations that have consistently set new standards in the industry.

From the debut of the Bordeaux LCD TV in 2006, admired for the world’s first sensuous design, to other breakthroughs like the first edge type LED TV, the first Smart TV with applications, the brilliance of 100% Color Volume QLED technology, and the refined Curved UHD TV, Samsung has never stopped setting new standards for what a TV can achieve.

Now in 2025, the company has taken another bold step forward with Samsung Vision AI which positions Samsung TVs as more than entertainment devices. They enhance content interaction, smart home functionality and synergy across devices, while maintaining strong privacy with the Samsung Knox security.

“Our mission has always been to create technology that feels personal, intuitive, and inspiring,” said Tae Sun Lee, CEO of Samsung Electronics West Africa. “With Vision AI, we’re not just offering a TV, we’re introducing a smarter, more connected way to live, building on almost two decades of global leadership.”

Samsung Vision AI is packed with features designed to make the TV experience smarter and more personal:

• Click to Search – Find information and personalized content recommendations about what you’re watching instantly, with just one click.

• Future-Proof Design – Enjoy 7 years of free OS updates so that your TV keeps evolving, unlocking new AI-powered experiences over time.

• Smart Home Control Tower – Effortlessly connect and control your Galaxy devices, Bespoke appliances, and other IoT products through SmartThings.

• Knox Security – Advanced protection to keep your personal information safe while you stay connected.

• Art & Entertainment – Seamlessly integrates with the Samsung Art TV lineup and offers immersive gaming, making it a hub for both creativity and play.

According to Oge Maduagwu, Head of Marketing & Communications, Samsung Electronics West Africa, “These new TVs are intelligent lifestyle hubs as they leverage Vision AI to deliver personalized, contextual, and seamless experiences that redefine television. Combining TV, AI Art, Live translations and sleek designs to set our TVs miles ahead of others”.

Continuing she said:

“Samsung’s 2025 TV lineup delivers our most advanced viewing experience yet, with innovations across OLED, Neo QLED, QLED, and lifestyle models. This year, we’ve introduced glare-free OLED and expanded anti-glare technology to more Neo QLED models, boosted brightness by up to 30%, and added high refresh rates up to 240Hz for ultra-smooth motion. Our new Vision AI enhances picture, sound, and even integrates smart home features like pet and family care monitoring.

“We’ve launched premium additions such as Neo QLED Mini-LED with wireless One Connect, plus Nigeria’s first 100-inch Neo QLED. From breathtaking picture quality to intelligent home integration, 2025 Samsung TVs are designed to deliver unmatched clarity, style, and connectivity.”

She reiterated Samsung’s commitment to shaping the viewing experience of tomorrow, with innovations designed to bring joy, connection, and inspiration to households worldwide.

“For years, customers have put their trust in Samsung TVs, trusting them to get quality and value for their money, thus, making them the global No.1 TV brand for 19 years consecutively and the brand continues to honor that trust by delivering products that exceed expectations.

“The new Neo QLED 8K, OLED, Neo QLED 4K, QLED & Crystal UHD TVs are now available at all authorized Samsung stores nationwide”, she Maduagwu added.