Audio streaming app, Deezer has updated its payment feature to accept payments in Naira. This comes almost two weeks after giant audio streaming platform Spotify launched in Nigeria (and other new markets across and beyond Africa. Apart from updating the platform to accept the Nigerian currency, Deezer has also cut the rates for subscription by almost 50 percent. This comes alongside the changes that allows payments to be made in naira. There just had to be some adjustment.
Previously, subscribers who used the premium plan on the audio streaming service had to pay $4.99 which was roughly about ₦1800. The rate for Premium users has been adjusted to ₦900 which is half the former price. There is also a family plan that allows more than one person to use the same subscription instead of duplicating subscriptions and spending more money. The former price for the Deezer family plan was around ₦2700 and now, after the company adjusted the platform to take naira, the new price is now ₦1400. This is also the new price for users that subscribe to Deezer HiFi.
Experts say that Deezer’s big move is a strategy to be able to compete with other global audio-streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify. Deezer’s new plans and decision to take naira on the platform will help the service stay afloat amid the tough competition. Spotify’s recent launch in Africa puts other music services in an uncomfortable place. This is because Spotify is first a global brand before anything else. Spotify also provides millions of tracks as well as podcasts for users to listen to. Other services, therefore, have to be on their toes to make sure that they are not swept away by the tide.
Deezer has an approximated number of 14 million subscribers in Africa, out of which half the figure are active users that pay for subscriptions. It is also interesting to know that Deezer’s new subscription rates are in line with the rate of other top streaming music services like Apple Music, YouTube Music, and a host of others. Deezer launched in 2007 and since then up till now it has connected people to tracks. Currently the platform connects over 16 million monthly active users to over 73 million tracks. The platform is available for download on smartphone, tablet and even on your laptop.
Although Deezer’s new rates and decision to accept naira on the platform are more than a great move by the company, it puts the company at the forefront of a strong battle.
