Record-breaking downloads for African mobile VoD platform Tuluntulu

Users have downloaded 450 000 apps from Tuluntulu, which is an African mobile video on demand (VOD) service, less than two years since its inception, the South African-based mobile VOD firm announced on Monday. By Gugu Lourie

Launched in August 2014, Tuluntulu targets audiences in Africa, and globally, with African focused content delivered on its mobile content platform.

The Tuluntulu app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play and App stores.

In the next three months, Tuluntulu is targeting to reach a half a million mark of downloads.

“We are proud of our achievements so far but still a long way to go,” Tuluntulu’s founder Pierre van der Hoven, told Techfinancials.

Asked what makes Tuluntulu’s proposition to be so relevant to its current and potential customers, van der Hoven, attributed the success of the platform to being “free and relevant African-focused, ‘local’ content.

He also ascribed the growth to the cheapest data consumption option – 50MB / hour and a one-stop shop for lots of TV & radio content (single, simple app people can understand can access a variety of content).

Van der Hoven is a serial media entrepreneur who was involved in starting numerous media companies including eTV, and YFM.

Last year, the company was named by the Unilever Foundry 50 as one of the top 50 start-ups in the world.

The first, and only one from Africa.

The inaugural Unilever Foundry 50 is an initiative to find the world’s top 50 marketing technology startups that are innovating to help brands better connect, engage and relate with people.

To continue to attract new viewers on its platform, Tuluntulu is launching today its news channel tNews4U. It has also launched a TV channel Health4U and by month end is planning to launch a travel and tourism channel and a general African entertainment channel.

Tuluntulu is popular with users in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Tanzania.

To improve the platform, Tuluntulu is working on bringing more content and planning to introduce new channels, and add more value for loyal customers.