The Super App Hype in Ethiopia Is Outpacing Reality

Super Apps are trending in Ethiopia. Telebirr is pushing mini-app integration. Banks such as Dashen Bank and Nib Bank are talking ecosystem. Everyone wants to be “the next WeChat.” But here’s the thing, most users aren’t using these so-called Super Apps the way they’re intended. And maybe that’s because the model doesn’t really fit how people use digital services here.

Ask yourself: Have you used your local super app's chat features or mini-apps in the way they were intended?

In China, WeChat works because it’s not just an app, it’s infrastructure. In Ethiopia, it’s different. People already have separate apps for transport, banking, chat, delivery, and more. These apps work. There’s no major friction being solved by cramming them all into one platform. So when users ignore mini apps inside a Super App, it’s not because they don’t get it, it’s because they don’t need it.

This isn’t just an Ethiopian thing. The Super App model is also struggling elsewhere. In the U.S., people use an average of 46 apps monthly, and it seems they prefer it that way. Elon Musk’s attempt to turn X (Twitter) into a WeChat-style app is running into regulatory walls and user indifference. As South China Morning Post points out, the legal and cultural environment that made WeChat possible in China just doesn’t exist in the U.S. or Europe.

Forbes  puts it bluntly: the Super App dream is fading. Bundling everything into one app often leads to worse user experience, more complexity, and distracted product teams. Instead, the future looks more modular, many apps, each doing one or two things really well, connected through embedded finance and integrations, not monopolized by one interface.

The Dangers of Being Within a Super App Ecosystem

The real question isn't whether Super Apps will fail to take off, but what happens to the businesses that bet on their success. Let's say a Super App, against all odds, reaches dominance in Ethiopia. Do local businesses truly want to be part of that ecosystem? Businesses that integrate themselves as mini-apps might gain a temporary boost, but they risk their long term survival. They sacrifice direct relationships with their customers, hand over control, and leave themselves vulnerable. Once a Super App becomes a gatekeeper, it can easily change terms, add fees, or even compete directly with its partners. It's a short sighted bargain: trading the chance to build your own brand and community for a spot inside someone else's digital fortress.

Even Apple is resisting the Super App trend, because such platforms threaten its entire model. Super Apps can bypass the App Store, cut out in-app purchases, and undermine Apple’s control over the ecosystem. That’s why Apple has little incentive to support true Super Apps, especially ones that offer web-based mini apps or third-party integrations outside the App Store’s reach.

Many countries, including those in the developed world and across Africa, have attempted to create successful Super-Apps, yet only a handful have truly succeeded. Today, just a few nations worldwide can claim a thriving Super-App ecosystem.

In Ethiopia, we’re seeing the same pattern, just without the regulation. People aren’t using mini apps inside Super Apps because there’s no strong reason to. The standalone apps they already use are good enough.

It’s also worth clarifying that some people confuse payment features with Super App functionality, and third-party integrations with mini apps. Just because a payment app lets you pay for utilities or buy airtime doesn’t make it a Super App. Most major banking apps in Ethiopia offer payment services and are deeply integrated with public and private organizations, without relying on mini app frameworks.

Today, people rely on separate apps for different needs. For finance, they use existing banking apps or mobile wallets like CBE Birr or Telebirr. For messaging, they turn to platforms like Telegram, which is one of the most dominant messaging apps in the country. Frequent flyers use Ethiopian Airlines standalone app for bookings. For online shopping, people use informal platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Telegram, and TikTok.

You’ve probably seen TikTok videos where sellers showcase products, explain the specs, and include a phone number for anyone interested to buy. It works. The market for super-app seem fragmented, so unless a Super App offers a dramatically better experience, faster, cheaper, more seamless, why would anyone switch?

Telebirr has potential, but that potential comes from how deeply it can integrate with daily financial life, not how many features it adds. And unless ecosystem partners are forced into that platform (which could happen), it’s unlikely that users will voluntarily abandon what’s already working for them.

We’ve seen this play out in other countries too. In India, apps like Tata Neu and Paytm pushed the Super App model hard, but user adoption plateaued. People stuck with dedicated apps. In Indonesia, Gojek worked better, but only because it solved real pain points ride hailing and payments in one app, not because it bundled 20 services for the sake of it.

The lesson? Focus on the core product. Do one thing really well. Don’t spread thin trying to be everything at once. Users are smart. They’re not waiting for a single app to run their life. They’re just looking for tools that work better, faster, and with less friction.

Super Apps aren’t bad ideas. But they’re not shortcuts to success either. And in Ethiopia, where digital adoption is still growing, pushing too many features too early could slow things down, not speed things up.

We don’t need a WeChat clone. We need strong, reliable digital services that actually solve local problems. That could include integrated platforms, but only if they make life easier, not just more crowded.

The future isn’t a single app dominating everything. It’s a connected network of apps, services, and users, with each part doing its job well.