InMobi says that it is now serving over 650 million mobile ad requests per month in S. Africa, making it the largest mobile advertising network in the country. InMobis service offerings have also been expanded to other countries in Africa, including Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt, which the company says are beginning to show a significant growth in mobile advertising.
With the upcoming Football World Cup 2010, InMobi is predicting an explosion in mobile advertising and brand engagement, since nothing connects Africa quite like football. Under the first ever mobile rights distribution project for the World Cup, operators around the world will stream all 64 matches live to mobile handsets. Users will also be able to receive highlights and updates to their phones on a near-live basis. In his address during the World Cup ceremony in Berlin, South African President Thabo Mbeki said that the 2010 FIFA World Cup S. Africa would be the first event of this magnitude where the world would be able to participate via their mobile handsets. InMobi says it is gearing up for the occasion. The company is also announcing a partnership with a S, African advertising agency, MobiClicks, to engage S. Africa with mobile advertising.
Our partnership with InMobi has been very fruitful in the region, says MobiClicks CEO, Shaun Rosen. InMobi has been with us at every step and has ensured that our performance never dips. We believe 2010 will be another banner year for mobile advertising in S. Africa and believe InMobi is a solid partner for advertisers looking to reach mobile consumers in the region.  
According to InMobi, the S. African market is made up of very progressive users, who are highly engaged on their mobile devices and respond well to mobile advertising, as evidenced by the clickthrough rates and advertiser return on investment. S. Africa has close to 10 million mobile Internet users, and this number is expected to grow to 15 million by 2013. InMobi says it now aims to grow the entire mobile ecosystem in S. Africa by bringing global players into this market.
The success of S. Africa is now spreading to the rest of Africa and has shown some promising results in countries like Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt, says Abhay Singhal, Head of Global Ad Sales at InMobi. It is perceived that mobile is now accelerating the economic growth of the entire continent. The World Cup 2010 will be a catalyst for mobile advertising in Africa, and were positioned to lead the market and connect brands and publishers to this emerging market.