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Business Insider
17-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Meet Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ, the Nigerian entrepreneur building Africa's fast-growing public Wi-Fi network — and making it profitable
Nigeria's internet infrastructure is under pressure. Mobile networks are congested, data remains expensive, and for millions of Nigerians, access to reliable, high-speed internet is still a daily struggle. While telcos battle spectrum limitations and rising costs, one startup is taking a different route, literally. Wave5 Wireless is betting on public Wi-Fi as the future of last-mile connectivity in Africa. Led by founder and CEO Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ, the company is building a neutral-host infrastructure that enables telcos, fintechs, and content providers to deliver services over shared Wi-Fi access points in busy public spaces, including markets, schools, and bus shelters. With its proprietary AMPPS platform and a strategic offload partnership with Globacom already underway, Wave5 is now raising $3 million to expand its reach. In this exclusive interview with Business Insider Africa, Adálémọ shares why Wave5 could be the key to unlocking affordable internet at scale, how its model creates multiple monetization paths, and why investors should take notice. BI Africa: Wave5 Wireless has positioned itself as Nigeria's first public Wi-Fi infrastructure provider. What was the original problem you set out to solve, and how big is the market opportunity you see today? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: I and Biola Akinyemi set out to solve a major problem: affordable, high-quality internet access is still out of reach for millions in Nigeria. Mobile networks are congested, data is expensive, and digital services remain inaccessible for those who need them most. Our goal was to offload traffic from overstretched mobile networks by building a dedicated public Wi-Fi infrastructure layer that's open, affordable, and smart enough to support more than just connectivity. That led to the creation of AMPPS, our Atmosphere Multi-Protocol Provisioning System, which allows us to layer streaming, education, fintech, and e-commerce services on top of Wi-Fi access. The market opportunity is enormous. If even 10 million people spend ₦500–₦750 a week through Wave5 access points, we're looking at a recurring revenue engine worth over ₦370–400 billion (~$250M) annually, and that's just Lagos. BI Africa: For potential investors, what's the simplest way to explain Wave5's business model and how it generates sustainable, recurring revenue? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Wave5 monetizes connectivity + services at scale. We deploy public access points in high-traffic locations and sell bandwidth wholesale to mobile networks and retail access to end-users. Our AMPPS platform bundles services like streaming, learning, ads, and fintech into each user session, creating multiple monetization layers per user. We support both microtransactions and B2B partnerships (e.g., telcos, banks, creators, governments), creating recurring revenue streams. It's sustainable because the demand for affordable data and local digital services keeps growing, and AMPPS ensures we can dynamically deliver and monetize those services anywhere we deploy. BI Africa: Your neutral-host approach is a key differentiator. Can you talk about why this model is especially well-suited for Nigeria and other African markets? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Nigeria, like much of Africa, has limited broadband infrastructure, high spectrum costs, and low ARPU. Our neutral-host model solves this by letting one Wi-Fi network serve multiple operators and services at a fraction of mobile network costs. With AMPPS, we make this seamless. It enables telcos to plug in, offload traffic, and authenticate users. At the same time, fintechs, edtechs, and content platforms can launch services directly to users via our captive portal without building their own networks. This model lowers the barrier for digital inclusion and makes infrastructure collaborative, not competitive. That's essential in price-sensitive, underserved markets. BI Africa: Investors often ask about scalability. How replicable is the Wave5 model across different cities in Nigeria and other emerging markets in Africa? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Very replicable. AMPPS makes it possible. Once we secure rights-of-way in any city, the rest of our system deploys rapidly in clusters: markets, schools, parks, or transit hubs. AMPPS serves as our control tower managing user access, partner services, payments, and analytics across thousands of nodes. Whether in Lagos or Kano, AMPPS ensures consistency in user experience, service provisioning, and revenue tracking. It supports multi-tenant environments, remote updates, and plug-and-play integrations with telcos, banks, content platforms, and government portals. It's not just Wi-Fi, it's programmable infrastructure. And that's how we scale, city by city, country by country. BI Africa: Tell us about the traction you've achieved so far. What are the most important proof points you'd highlight to someone considering investing? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: We've moved well beyond pilots: 15 LAMATA bus stops and 2 major markets (Sabo and Iponri) in Lagos already connected. A Proof of Concept with 40 SMEs delivered over 2 million ad impressions in 150 days via our captive portal. AMPPS is live, powering content, payment, and ad services for thousands of users across our network. We've signed a strategic offload partnership with Globacom, Nigeria's second national carrier. These proof points validate our infrastructure, revenue model, and most importantly our platform's ability to integrate and monetize digital services at the edge. BI Africa: You recently announced a partnership with Globacom. How does this collaboration serve as validation for your model, and what door does it open for expansion? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Globacom's partnership is a game changer. It affirms the carrier-grade quality and economic logic of our network. Through our trial, they're offloading mobile traffic onto Wave5's public Wi-Fi zones, reducing pressure on their licensed spectrum while enhancing user experience. AMPPS handles seamless user authentication, session management, and reporting, making it easy for telcos to trust and use our infrastructure. This success sets a precedent for integration with other operators and opens up state-level collaborations and nationwide scale. It's a clear signal to the market: public Wi-Fi offload is commercially viable and Wave5 is ready. BI Africa: Funding is critical for scaling infrastructure. How much are you seeking to raise currently, and how will those funds be deployed? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: We're raising $3 million as part of a $50 million rollout plan. This first tranche is focused on: Infrastructure expansion: scaling to 500+ new access points in Lagos. AMPPS development: enhancing API integrations, analytics, and fintech features. Operations & growth: local teams, regulatory approvals, and platform partnerships. AMPPS is a core investment area because it turns infrastructure into a multiservice platform. Allowing monetization not just of bandwidth, but of every interaction on the network. BI Africa: Connectivity is often seen as a social good but can be tough to monetize. How does Wave5 balance affordable access for users with strong returns for investors? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: We drive revenue through volume and value-added services, not high per-user pricing. Users pay as little as ₦100 for a daily session, or access content for free via ads or bundles. But AMPPS lets us monetize each user multiple times via ads, fintech transactions, or embedded services from partners. Investors benefit from this multi-sided platform model. We own the pipe, the captive portal, and the provisioning engine so we capture value from access, services, and data. Affordable for users. Scalable for partners. Profitable for investors. BI Africa: Beyond simply delivering Wi-Fi access, what role do you see Wave5 playing in enabling other digital services and supporting local businesses? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: Wave5 is a launchpad for Africa's digital economy. Through AMPPS, we deliver streaming, education, e-commerce, and payment solutions at the edge of the network directly to users in public spaces. Each hotspot becomes a bank branch, media hub, and digital storefront, especially for informal workers and SMEs. We empower: Traders to sell digitally. Creators to earn from video, music, or education. Fintechs to serve unbanked users with wallets, loans, and savings. In doing so, we create a virtuous loop where digital services fund the network, and the network enables more services. BI Africa: Looking ahead 3–5 years, what's your vision for Wave5 Wireless, and what would success look like to you and your investors? Ayọ̀wándé Adálémọ: In five years, Wave5 will be Africa's largest public access infrastructure and digital services platform, serving tens of millions daily. Success means: AMPPS managing 100,000+ hotspots across Nigeria and beyond. Seamless offload partnerships with major MNOs, MVNOs, and global platforms. A thriving local economy where small businesses, creators, and institutions grow over Wave5 rails. We'll be the default digital layer for cities powering inclusion, services, and opportunity. For investors, this translates to exponential growth, platform defensibility, and long-term infrastructure value. --
Business Insider
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
A look at Africa's streaming market: Barriers, breakthroughs, and what the future holds
As Africa's digital landscape continues to evolve and expand, the region is becoming a promising market for the streaming industry. With its large, youthful, and increasingly connected population, the continent offers serious potential but presents a unique set of challenges for global and local players. Success in this region will depend on deeply understanding how people connect, consume, and create — and designing experiences that meet them where they are. We spoke with Roman Shimanskiy, Managing Director of Yango Play — the first AI-powered entertainment superapp in Africa and the Middle East. As the strategic lead behind its regional launch, Shimanskiy brought to market one of the fastest-growing streaming platforms in MENA, combining personalized video, music, and interactive experiences through AI technologies. In this interview, he shares his insights about the current state of streaming in Africa — and what it will take for the market to move into its next phase of growth, through the lens of someone building global products and watching Africa's market potential unfold. BI Africa: Can you give us an overview of the streaming landscape in Africa today? What platforms are popular, and what are audiences looking for? Roman: Africa is a vast and remarkably dynamic continent. What makes it truly unique is its population: young, digitally curious, and highly engaged. Millions of people actively seek content daily, which brings a massive opportunity for streaming platforms and digital entertainment apps. Despite strong audience interest, subscription-based streaming in Africa is still in its very early stages. Traditional formats — especially radio and television — are still the dominant sources of content in many regions. Traditional channels like radio and TV still dominate much of the content landscape, while platforms such as YouTube and social media have already carved out massive audiences. Still, the potential is hard to deny. We're seeing a classic 'hockey stick' trajectory — steady growth now, with a possible sharp rise over the next 5 to 10 years. The key question is when that inflection point will arrive. BI Africa: What are the biggest challenges holding back faster growth? Roman: In my opinion, there are three main barriers. The first is infrastructure — fast, affordable, and reliable internet is still not widely available, especially outside major cities. The second challenge is access to devices. Streaming relies on smartphones, smart TVs, and other capable hardware, but a large portion of the population still lacks the devices needed to support high-content platforms. Then there are payments. Cash still dominates in many parts of Africa, and digital payment systems — whether through cards or online wallets — are not yet mainstream. That makes subscription monetization very difficult. Most digital services in Africa today rely on advertising for revenue. Mobile money wallets, often tied to telecom operators, are growing in relevance, but the ecosystem is still maturing. Plus, mobile wallets are often unsuited for recurring subscription models, as they usually require manual top-ups and don't always support automated billing. And of course, large-scale piracy remains a major issue. It is extremely widespread, and changing the situation will take time. It will require not only economic readiness from users to pay for content, but also a shift in society's attitude toward piracy, seeing it as something socially unacceptable. This slows down both the development of the subscription model and the broader perception of digital services as something valuable and worth paying for. BI Africa: So what are the biggest growth drivers on the horizon? Roman: The upside is massive. For one, there's far less competition. In Europe or the US, you fight ten companies for one user. In Africa, the field is much more open. The continent has an incredibly rich musical culture; it is a deeply musical continent — people are constantly listening, creating, and sharing. That makes it an ideal market for streaming, especially audio platforms and creative tools. YouTube is hugely popular for that reason. It offers accessibility, discovery, and — importantly — monetization. BI Africa: What makes YouTube so popular in Africa? Roman: YouTube is dominant in the African streaming landscape for two main reasons. First, as a user-generated content platform, it allows anyone to upload — an ideal fit for regions with vibrant creative communities but limited formal infrastructure. Then, it provides creators with a path to monetization. Whether you're recording a song, filming a vlog, or producing a short drama on your phone, YouTube offers access to an audience and the potential to earn money without needing labels, licenses, or intermediaries. As a result, much of Africa's music, which often isn't formally licensed, bypasses platforms like Spotify or Apple Music and instead finds a home on YouTube or SoundCloud. BI Africa: Beyond music, are there other regional strengths that make Africa a unique opportunity for streaming? Roman: Absolutely. Nigeria is a great example. Nollywood, the country's homegrown film industry, is among the top five in the world by volume. It produces around 80% of the films and series watched across Africa. It's a fully developed ecosystem with production houses, creative talent, and huge audiences. And because the content is culturally aligned with viewers, it resonates more deeply than most global productions. This is why MultiChoice has been able to compete so effectively with Netflix — they're producing content that speaks directly to the local experience. Production costs are lower, and the addressable audience is massive. So the unit economics of African content can actually be very strong. BI Africa: What indicators should companies watch to gauge when the market is really starting to scale? Roman: The biggest one is subscriber growth at platforms like Netflix and MultiChoice. Currently, there are about 20 million subscribers across Sub-Saharan Africa. If that number starts climbing rapidly year over year, that's your signal that the adoption curve is steepening. Some projections suggest that by 2030 or 2035, we'll see a convergence of key factors — internet penetration, payment infrastructure, economic uplift, and population size — all of which could trigger the next major wave of streaming expansion. BI Africa: Who do you think will lead that growth — global platforms or local players? Roman: I believe global platforms will take a more cautious, partnership-driven route. The days of launching a one-size-fits-all product are over — success now depends on having a strong local presence. We are already seeing that play out. Most international companies will likely enter the market through joint ventures, acquisitions, or strategic partnerships with local services. They might provide the brand, the tech, or the content backing, but the local connection will be the number one priority. At the same time, telecom operators could become some of the most influential players in this space. They already have billing relationships, massive subscriber bases, and now, increasingly, mobile money systems. For them, adding streaming services is a logical next step — a way to monetize their users beyond just data and connectivity.
