•One of the main components of Africa First strategy is to decrease the digital divide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where the costs of data are such a major issue.
•Opera plans to continue with investments in the country and hope to help more people to get access to the internet.
The high cost of data is still a major challenge affecting the growth of the Kenyan digital market.
In June, the popular web browser, Opera, through its flagship product Opera Mini, announced plans to provide free internet access to millions of Kenyans. This is part of the tech firm’s efforts to deepen access to digital penetration and digital literacy while enhancing its presence across Africa. The Star Spoke to Jorgen Arnesen, Executive Vice President, of Mobile Opera Mini, on digital inclusion and the future of technology.
What is Opera's stance on digital inclusion as a corporate responsibility, and why it is important in today's digital age?
Opera was among the first pioneering tech companies to invest in the African market, having established its presence there over 17 years ago. Recognising the immense potential of the region, Opera made a strategic decision to expand its business operations and investments in Africa, a commitment that we have continued to honour to this day. In fact, we are further intensifying our efforts to deepen our roots on the continent.
We know the continent has a bright future, with massive potential that it’s rushing to fulfil. For example, Africa is the fastest-growing continent in terms of internet penetration; over 180 million new users are expected to come online in the next five years, a growth rate of more than 30 per cent. Africa’s young population, improving internet infrastructure, and rapid smartphone adoption are all contributing factors to this exciting, exponential growth.
That is why Opera adopted its Africa First strategy in 2020. This means our mobile products and services are developed first and foremost with the African consumer in mind, and we invest in the region to bring more people online and offer them the fastest and most reliable internet connection.
Tell us about data-saving technology
Two key aspects of our efforts to bolster digital inclusion have been Opera Mini and our free data campaigns. Opera’s highly popular mobile data-saving browser, Opera Mini, was developed in response to the pressing needs of the African market. This innovative solution was designed to address the challenges faced by local users, given that the cost of data in Africa is among the highest in the world. Recognising the urgent need for a browsing solution that is not only fast but also data-efficient, we created a practical and reliable tool that enables users to browse the web with ease while consuming less data.
Opera Mini has been the first window to the web for many Africans since it was launched in 2006. Now our browser, with more than 500 million installations from Google Play, is among the most popular apps on the continent and number one mobile browser in Kenya because it provides users with up to 90 per cent data savings – thanks to our unique data compression technology.
Our free data campaigns, meanwhile, also contribute significantly to our goal of facilitating the growth of the African digital economy.
Kenya has made significant strides in embracing technology. How does Opera view its role in ensuring that these technological advancements are accessible to all Kenyan citizens, including those in underserved areas?
Low digital penetration and limited digital literacy, as well as high data costs and infrastructure limitations, remain challenges in the Kenyan market. Opera is determined to face these obstacles to provide relevant solutions for the market. For example, to address low digital penetration, Opera created the tailored-to-market data-saving browser Opera Mini, which provides Kenyans faster browsing for less data.
The browser is not only perfect for different devices, including the simplest ones, but also helps users prolong their browsing while saving up to 90 per cent of their data.
Then, when so much of the world shifted online in 2020, Kenyans were struggling due to high data costs. Opera, together with our trustworthy partners Safaricom and Airtel, launched Free Data campaigns to make sure there is some base amount of data for Opera Mini users available for free. Our commitment to investing in digitalisation remains unwavering as we strive to bridge the digital penetration gap through innovative solutions.
With examples, what are some of Opera's partnerships that have brought digital inclusion opportunities to the forefront in the country?
Opera’s free data campaigns in Kenya, conducted in concert with our long-time partners Airtel and Safaricom – are an example of our commitment to providing opportunities for digital inclusion.
With the advent of the pandemic and the subsequent shift to online activity across the globe, Africans were once again confronted with the challenge of high data costs and limited access to online learning, work, and socialisation. So in response, Opera forged strategic partnerships with leading telecom companies across Sub-Saharan Africa, aimed at providing people with free browsing through Opera Mini. Working closely with MTN and Airtel in Nigeria, Safaricom and Airtel Kenya in Kenya, and MTN South Africa, Opera has been able to offer nearly 40 million people across five African countries, including Kenya, up to 3 GB of free browsing each month. Most recently, we have teamed up with Safaricom to launch our first-ever free data campaign in Ethiopia. This initiative has helped to empower users throughout the continent, enabling them to establish businesses, connect with loved ones, and embark on educational journeys, all with greater ease and affordability.
What is Opera's approach to data privacy and security in the context of digital inclusion, especially when dealing with sensitive user information?
As a company headquartered in Norway and subject to strict data protection regulations like the GDPR, we take privacy and security for all our users very seriously. We provide robust tools for users to protect their privacy online, such as built-in ad blocking and tracker blocking capabilities as well as a no-log browser VPN. Our browsers do not require an account to use, so users do not have to share any data about themselves that they do not want to - they are always in control of what they are comfortable sharing. Finally, our browsers include protection against malicious websites and crypto miners, helping users protect themselves from a range of online threats.
How does Opera balance expanding its user base and ensuring that technology benefits everyone, including those who may have limited resources or access to the internet?
One of the main components of Africa First's strategy is to decrease the digital divide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where the costs of data are such a major issue. Therefore, ever since we entered the market, we have started providing products and solutions that can address this challenge. We are constantly investing, at this point, over $100 million (Sh 14.8 billion) in the African digital economy, by providing affordable internet access, localised content, and innovative digital services. We plan to continue our investments in the country and hope to help more people get access to the Internet.
What long-term goals or commitments does Opera have regarding digital inclusion?
We believe that access to information is a universal human right, and we are committed to providing that through innovative products and services. We know that Kenya, like Africa as a whole, is primed for significant growth. As of January 2022, Kenya had more than 23 million internet users – that’s an internet penetration rate of still just 42 per cent of the total population. Kepios analysis indicates that internet users in Kenya increased by seven per cent between 2021 and 2022. So with so much of the population still yet to cross the digital divide, we think this number will only continue to take off in the coming years, a situation that is also characteristic of East Africa more broadly.
So this is again why Opera adopted its Africa First strategy in 2020, and why we’re committed to bringing connectivity to both Kenya and the continent as a whole.
The Consumer Federation of Kenya recently raised concerns over channels hosting significant advertising activities and swaying behavioural change. Opera was one of the examples given where it was said to have introduced a “speed dial” feature, specifically curated for the Kenyan market. What is your position on this?
We were puzzled to be mentioned in this discussion, which seems to have been based on a crucial misunderstanding regarding how a web browser works. Speed Dials are a bookmark showcase on a browser’s front page, and a common feature on any web browser, regardless of the market. Browser vendors, including Opera, often include a set of local services and resources in Speed Dials. Speed Dials also change dynamically to show the users’ most often visited websites and they are also fully customisable by users, who can view existing Speed Dials, replace them with their own, or completely turn them off according to their wishes. This empowers users to tailor their experience in a manner that suits their needs. In light of this, we were quite troubled as to why Opera in particular was singled out in this manner, and that no attempt was made to discuss the issue with Opera or any other browser providers. Opera makes sure to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, and we remain committed to working with the relevant authorities, to ensure that we continue to provide value to users in Kenya and across our markets.