Yemisi Izuora
Despite Nigeria’s prevailing economic difficulties, including heightened inflation and increasing operational costs, the fintech, telecommunications, and ride-hailing industries have maintained a robust media presence and public awareness footprint. This sustained success is attributed to strategic media relations, effective marketing campaigns, and the impressive data shared with the media during Q3 2024, which collectively bolstered public perception and instilled confidence in these sectors.
An in-depth media performance analysis conducted by P+ Measurement Services, Nigeria’s leading media intelligence and PR audit agency, tracked and audited media coverage of these sectors across both online and print platforms. The agency monitored over 1.3 million online publications—spanning blogs, branded publications, forums, and global news sources—alongside approximately 5,115 print publications, including daily, weekly, and monthly editions. This comprehensive tracking enabled P+ Measurement Services to extract key PR metrics, such as sentiment analysis of reporters, editors, publishers, and opinion leaders, CEO performance assessments, spokesperson analysis, and overall topic prominence.
Key Insights from Q3 Media Performance Audit:
Fintech Sector:
The audit examined eight fintech companies, highlighting their competitive dynamics through extensive media tracking. Flutterwave emerged as the frontrunner, capturing a significant 42% share of total media coverage, largely driven by the expansion of its SEND App Remittance Service to 49 U.S. states. This reflects Flutterwave’s strong media strategy, showcasing its influence and outreach. Following Flutterwave, Moniepoint attained a 29% share, propelled by its announcement of new security features to enhance customer protection. Opay held 20% of the media share, supported by its introduction of a Night Guard feature, while Kuda trailed with a 9% share, indicating lower media engagement despite its growing customer base. These results emphasize the competitive nature within the fintech sector, with Flutterwave’s proactive strategies setting the standard for media prominence.
Telecommunications Sector:
In telecommunications, MTN Nigeria dominated, achieving a 49% share of media coverage, significantly driven by the extension of its tower lease agreements with IHS Nigeria until 2032. This reinforced MTN’s position as a market leader with a consistent and strategic media approach. Globacom followed with a 21% share, its visibility amplified by its partnership with the Lagos State Government on the M-Agric Lottery Service, aimed at food sufficiency. In contrast, Airtel Nigeria and 9mobile registered 15% each in media coverage, highlighting the disparity in media engagement. MTN’s consistent and dominant media profile underscores its established influence and proactive communications strategy.
Ride-Hailing Sector:
Among the ride-hailing companies analyzed, Bolt Nigeria stood out, securing 51% of media exposure due to its proactive measures, such as introducing an optional verification feature for riders in Nigeria. InDrive followed with 29%, driven by its celebration of achieving 5 billion deals, while Uber Nigeria secured 19%. Rida Nigeria lagged significantly with just 1% media visibility. The variance in coverage reveals differing levels of media engagement and strategic media presence within the ride-hailing industry, with Bolt Nigeria clearly outperforming its competitors.
Comparative Analysis: Sector Disparities and Strategic Implications
The analysis draws attention to the concentration of media prominence within a select number of leading brands across the fintech, telecommunications, and ride-hailing sectors. This trend highlights the critical role of strategic media management, where top brands such as Flutterwave, MTN Nigeria, and Bolt Nigeria have effectively leveraged media relations to sustain strong public profiles, reinforcing their market dominance and credibility.
The disparity in media engagement across sectors further emphasizes the varying levels of success in deploying tailored PR and communications strategies. In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, maintaining consistent and strategic media visibility is crucial for brands seeking to remain competitive and relevant, especially within Nigeria’s dynamic business environment.