The African messaging app, ayoba, has reiterated its focus on protecting their users’ privacy and security
The company has reassured its users that it is not possible for messages in the app to be read by anyone, or shared to any third parties.
The app features peer-to-peer private messaging that is encrypted on an end-to-end basis. Contacts and locations of the user are only available to other users if the owner of the account explicitly shares them. Users can feel confident that their private data will remain private and will be treated with the utmost care and respect by ayoba through its privacy policy.
Ayoba also points out a unique feature of their app. ‘All the content is curated’, said Interim CEO Richard Cimardi. “We have a team of editors who check every post on our content channels before it goes live. This includes our music and entertainment channels. So it is 100% family friendly and safe for our younger users.”
Another unique feature is its availability in 22 languages: English, isiXhosa, isiZulu, French, Arabic, Dari, Pashtu, Hausa, Afrikaans, Igbo, Jula, Kinyarwanda, Luganda, Pidin [Cameroon], Pidgin [Nigeria], Portuguese, Sesotho, Setswana, Swahili, Twi, and Yoruba. Content channels are predominantly English and French, but the app offers content across all the languages as well, in Dari, Pashto, isiZulu, isiXhosa and more.
Ayoba has launched an in-app assistant, Aya, to guide new users on how to use an instant messaging app. Aya appears automatically in all chats and can run a variety of interactive tutorials for key features within ayoba.
Free data for MTN users
In partnership with MTN, MTN customers are automatically allocated free data to use ayoba features. Allowances range from 50MB per day to unlimited use, depending on the country of origin (with the exception of Benin). Free data allocations can be used for all activities available in the app-including messaging, browsing, gaming and listening.
Ayoba was awarded the Africa Digital Award for Best Mobile Application in November 2020, in a voting process involving both industry judges and the public. Ayoba offers group chat, status updates, MicroApps and more than 100 content channels bringing news, fashion, beauty, sports, education and music listening to the users. Ayoba has an extensive game selection of more than 120 games currently available.
Ayoba is looking forward to a busy 2021, upgrading the already extensive list of features - including exciting new content in Channels and local MicroApps from across Africa, and introducing new functionality, including in-app VoIP voice and video calls.
