Amazon Prime Video Launches Local Service in Nigeria

After its Launch in Southeast Asia a few days back, Amazon Prime video revealed the launch of the localized version of its streaming service in one of Africa’s largest markets, Nigeria.

Amazon Prime Video is a global streaming subscription service with 200 million subscribers worldwide and accessible in over 100 countries.

Amazon Prime Video has now expanded its service to Nigeria in a move that pitches it against Netflix, the world’s biggest streaming company with a sizeable audience in Nigeria.

However, to compete effectively, Amazon Prime Video launched discounted Amazon prime membership, seven days of free streaming service and increase investment in local content production for Nigerian audiences.

In a tweet from its official account @Prime Video Naija, the company said customers in Nigeria can stream more than 20,000 original TV shows and movies within its ecosystem. Some of the movies are The Boys, All or Nothing, Reacher  and All the Old Knives.

According to its website, the service will cost ₦2,300 or $4 per month. Also for the first time, users in Nigeria will be able to pay for subscriptions using the local currency, the Nigerian Naira.

Again, unlike when most used VPN to access the platform for region-specific content, now Nigerians can watch movies directly without a VPN.

Nigerians, however, have reservations concerning Amazon Prime Video pricing model. According to Nigerians that took to Twitter, they will stick to Netflix – Amazon Prime Video’s biggest competitor in Nigeria – as they cannot be paying for a monthly subscription and still be paying to rent or watch movies. Read their comments below.

@lamibony Tweeted “can never replace Netflix because they are unserious. Why do I have to purchase some movies even though I have a valid subscription? Nah, abeg they should get out.”

She further stated that “Abeg I will stick with Netflix. Make them increase subscription instead of asking me to buy movies like groceries”

@abelpter had the similar reservation “I hate the fact that after paying the monthly subscription, you still need to pay money to buy or rent some other movies you’d like to watch on the App. It doesn’t make sense”

@tHe_pHenom_ tweeted “hope your payment platform won’t keep declining all my cards like spotify and Apple Music”

@oluwahunter tweeted “Please why is it difficult to add my card details?”