RCS messaging traffic in Uganda to surge by 2029

Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania are expected to witness a dramatic surge in the usage of Rich Communication Services (RCS) as the modern industry standard for messaging is poised to revolutionise communication across Africa.

A report by a global communications platform Infobip released on October 14, 2024 indicates that RCS traffic in Africa and the Middle East is forecasted to grow by over 1,300 per cent, climbing from 545 million messages to a staggering 8 billion by 2029.

Data from tech analyst Omdia indicates that both Application-to-Person (A2P) and Person-to-Person (P2P) RCS traffic will experience substantial growth.

A2P RCS messaging, where businesses send messages directly to consumers, is predicted to expand from nearly 1.5 trillion messages in 2024 to more than 6 trillion messages by 2029, generating US$4.2 billion in revenue. In the same period, P2P messaging will continue to grow, significantly contributing to the increasing volume.

RCS elevates traditional SMS, allowing Android users to send a range of rich media content, such as text, images, GIFs, videos, and more, using mobile data or Wi-Fi. Unlike WhatsApp, RCS messages do not require users to download a separate app, as messages are received in the same inbox as SMS and MMS.

With Apple’s adoption of RCS in its latest iOS 18 update, the service is set to achieve cross-platform reach, with Omdia estimating 2.5 billion monthly active users worldwide by the end of 2024.

The report highlights that regions such as the Americas and Asia and Oceania will lead the charge in A2P RCS traffic and revenue. However, Africa’s growth potential is clear, with RCS presenting a valuable opportunity for enterprises and mobile network operators to enhance customer engagement and drive business.

Ms Charlotte Palfrey, senior analyst, advanced messaging and communications at Omdia, said RCS offers significant benefits for enterprises and telcos.

“Telcos should utilize RCS internally for marketing and customer care functions to demonstrate RCS’s capabilities and benefits,” she said.

Mr Ivan Ostojic, chief business officer at Infobip, said: “RCS has many benefits, and with the Apple upgrade, it now has universal availability. Consumers do not need to download a chat app to send and receive photos or videos. Meanwhile, enterprises can take consumers through the entire customer journey from initial marketing pitch to purchase and support. This is also a significant opportunity for telcos to seize the benefits of RCS business messaging and deliver rich conversational messaging for customers.”