MTN launches App Developer Challenge

MTN Nigeria has flagged off a competition for mobile application developers. The competition, MTN App Developer Challenge, is focused on development of local content relevant to the Nigerian market.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative in Lagos, last week, the Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria,  Mr Larry Annetts, said: “The MTN App Developer Challenge is a demonstration of our commitment to deliver a bold new digital world to our various stakeholders. This initiative represents a tangible and credible platform to make our brand promise a reality as well as promote the growth and use of locally relevant content, which would help develop the Nigerian ecosystem via partnerships that are beneficial to the ecosystem at large.”

He said mobile applications had become an essential feature for most mobile phone users, adding that a growing number of Nigerians now rely on their mobile phones as the preferred choice to stay in touch. He said this had made local Nigerian mobile content more relevant and important than ever before.

According to him, MTN, in fulfilment of its brand promise and commitment to enriching the lives of Nigerians, had partnered with neXva, a multi-OS app ecosystem solutions provider, to launch a branded version of the App Store called MTN NextApps Store.

He said there are 1330 Apps on MTN store currently, made up of 1213 Free Apps, and117 Premium Apps. He said the collection is growing with,a large focus on Nigerian applications.

On his own part, General Manager Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Mr Kola Oyeyemi, expressed optimism that the challenge would produce results that are beneficial to the country, especially in the area of development of locally relevant applications that address the needs and aspirations of Nigerians.

Categories for entries in the MTN App Developer Challenge include Entertainment and lifestyle, Productivity, Games, Education, Healthand a special category for student entries. The Best Overall Winner will receive a Hyundai IX35 car and N1 million in addition to a Samsung Galaxy S4 mobile phone as well as six months promotion on the MTN NextApps store.

Six Winners that will emerge from each category will receive N1 million and a Samsung Galaxy S4 mobile phone as well as six months promotion on the MTN NextApps store.

Participants are expected to submit applications via the challenge website mtnonline.com/challenge from 24 July 2013 to 24 October 2013.

How to participate

Step 1: Register
Registration is open to individuals or
teams.

Step 2: Selecting the mobile app Idea
you want

1. Entry Categories
Developers will be expected to submit
applications into any of the following
categories:

*Entertainment and Lifestyle
*Productivity
*.Games
*Education
*Health and wellness
*Special category for student
submissions (undergraduates)

2. Shortlisting Criteria
Top 4 Apps will be shortlisted from each
category based on number of customer's
downloads and will be judged based on
the criteria listed below. One ‘wild card’ app will also be selected
from each category by the judges (Judges’ wild card).

3. Judging Criteria

*.Originality of concept
*.Relevance of concept to the market
*.Best user experience
*.Commercial viability

Step 3: Submit your final App by 22nd
October You have from 24th July to 24th
October to create or improve and
submit your mobile apps. Final submission is on 24th October,
11.59 pm. Winners will be announced by the 13th of December 2013.
Once you have submitted your app,
drop us a mail with the app(s) name and
your developer account name at
mtndeveloperchallenge@nexva.com
and you may be on your way to win a
great prize
If you are submitting an app for the
Student category, please indicate in the
email sent to the mailing address
above.

Dates:
24th July: Competition opens – call for
entries begin

24th October: Entry into competition
ends

24th October – 24th November: Top 10
downloaders (i.e. customers) are
rewarded weekly to encourage
downloads

13th December: Winners announced

Prizes:

Best Overall App:

*.Hyundai IX 35
*.N1m
*.Samsung Galaxy S4
*.Free promotion of the app in the MTN
Nextappsstore for 6 months

Best Entertainment and Lifestyle App

*.N1m
*.Samsung Galaxy S4
*.Free promotion of the app in the MTN
Nextappsstore for 6 months

Best Productivity App

*.N1m
*.Samsung Galaxy S4
*.Free promotion of the app in the MTN
Nextappsstore for 6 months

Best game app:

*.N1m
*.Samsung Galaxy S4
*.Free promotion of the app in the MTN
Nextappsstore for 6 months

Best Education App

*.N1m
*.Samsung Galaxy S4
*.Free promotion of the app in the MTN Nextappsstore for 6 months

Best Health App

*.N1m
*.Samsung Galaxy S4
*.Free promotion of the app in the MTN Nextappsstore for 6 months Special /Category – Best Student App
(Undergraduate)
*.N1m

Head to http://www.mtnonline.com/
challenge now to partake in this great
challenge and prove yourself worthy!