TIDAL is struggling to gain traction the US and Europe, but the Jay-Z led music streamer is set to launch in Uganda via a partnership with local telecom MTN. TIDAL previously launched in South Africa, where rival Spotify already has a foothold.
The deal will provide MTN Uganda customers a variety of low cost options for a data-inclusive TIDAL subscriptions.
The partnership, launched in Uganda but set to be rolled out in other MTN operations across Africa, include one, three, seven and 30-day memberships. The deal will cover any data charges incurred by music streaming and a free 30-day trial for all first-time members.
“Africa is a continent that has long been an inspiration for music heard around the world and TIDAL is excited to highlight the vibrant musicians on our platform. TIDAL is also thrilled to bring a new wave of digital music to Uganda as part of this collaboration,” said Lior Tibon.
To mark the launch of the deal, TIDAL, and MTN Uganda announced advanced plans in organizing an exclusive Collaboration Conference and ‘The MTN TIDAL Experience’ which will be held on September 27 and 28 respectively.
The deal should open TIDAL up to approximately 10 million users in Uganda, with more on tap. Africa is one of the least served regions for music streaming with user penetration of just 13.5% of the population, according to statistics compiled by the IMF, World Bank, UN, and Eurostat.
Total users for music streaming services in the region are expected to top 28.7 million by 2022, making it a key market for growth as established markets such as North America reach saturation.
Total users for music streaming services in the region are expected to top 28.7 million by 2022, making it a key market for growth as established markets such as North America reach saturation.