MTN to discontinue Ayoba after failing to sustain user growth

MTN Group has announced plans to shut down its messaging and super app, Ayoba, bringing to a close its long-running effort to create a homegrown rival to WhatsApp.

The telecom giant confirmed that Ayoba was removed from app stores on March 20, 2026. Ahead of the delisting, users had been given a 30-day grace period beginning February 20 to reinstall the app before it became permanently unavailable for download.

Introduced in 2019, Ayoba was designed as a multi-purpose platform combining instant messaging, voice and video calls, music streaming, gaming, and access to micro-app services. MTN also pushed adoption by offering incentives such as free data usage for its subscribers.

Despite initial traction, the app struggled to retain active users over time. Much of its early growth was driven by MTN’s network reach and promotional incentives rather than strong organic demand.

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As those incentives waned, user activity declined sharply, revealing challenges with product-market fit. Technical issues further compounded the problem, with users in several markets reporting ongoing verification difficulties that made it hard to re-register by 2025.

The shutdown marks the end of one of Africa’s most ambitious attempts to build a locally driven digital platform, affecting millions of users who depended on Ayoba for free communication, entertainment, and other digital service.