SIMFY's music streaming platform MusicTime plans expansion in Africa

By Emmanuel Legrand

MusicTime, the music app part of African music streaming service SIMFY Africa, is expected to launch in four more countries in Africa and the Middle East, in addition to the six countries it is already operating in. The announcement comes as the service has unveiled a new visual identity.

  SIMFY Africa CEO David Gillaranz said the rebranding "goes alongside with our vision to provide an affordable and legal music streaming services in Africa and beyond. Our proposition is unique and truly provide everyone the ability to access millions of songs and playlist focusing largely on local music.”  

  MusicTime launched in South Africa in December 2018 and it is now live in six African countries (South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Cameroon and Eswatini). The service has a continent-wide partnership with phone operator MTN, which acquired SIMFY in 2018. The service claims that the app has been downloaded over 500,000 times.

New opportunities for artists

  MTN eyes expansion to other markets in Africa and the Middle East in 2020, with the services made available in a further un-named four countries by the end of the year.

  MusicTime has a pay-as-you-go model by which users can buy a weekly pack, that gives 2 or 5 hours access to music, over a seven day period. Through the agreement with parent company MTN, data is pre-packaged with the music, so users do not risk running out of data.  

  Yoel Kenan, CEO of Johannesburg-based  content distributor and aggregator Africori, said the development of MusicTime has the potential to generate new revenues and promotional opportunities for African artists and labels. “MusicTime integrated offering to users is set to challenge music consumption patterns to mainstream audiences across Africa by offering new opportunities to local artists to reach new fans locally and across the continent," said Kenan.