The top apps you need for your detty December itinerary

December in Africa? It’s an experience: bottleneck traffic, bad internet and unreliable service. So much is happening, but how do you stay on top of it all?  Not everything makes it to your social media feeds. How do you know where the nearest events are so you’re not that one friend always saying, ‘involve me’?

Being prepared is how you play the game, and stacking the right mobile apps is your best bet to navigate the chaos. From payment apps to fund the fun, to lifestyle apps to find the vibes, we put together a list of mobile apps to help you have the most memorable December yet.

Payment apps to stay up when service providers are down

Traditional banking apps often struggle with uptime in December, as they often rely on legacy systems that may not be as reliable as those used by digital banks and fintechs. Peak periods, such as festive seasons, can strain their infrastructures, leading to slower transactions or temporary downtime.

The last thing you want is to experience this when you’re out with friends and about to pay for your meal. If you don’t already, you should have one (or two) digital banks or payment service providers installed. Here are some apps to check out.

OPay (Nigeria):  Opay has a nifty feature that informs you when a recipient bank is experiencing payment inflow difficulties. An in-app banner lets you know that other users are experiencing challenges with said recipient bank. OPay’s transfers are also settled instantly with low transaction charges.

PalmPay (Nigeria and Ghana): Whether you’re December-ing in Lagos or Accra, PalmPay is available for your transactions. Just like OPay, PalmPay notifies you when an external service provider is experiencing downtime before you make a payment.

Moniepoint (Nigeria):  Moniepoint has swift transfers on lock. However, they can provide you with a debit card within 48 hours if that’s what you want. If you’re a merchant, Moniepoint is an ideal neobank for business, as settlement is instant, even during peak hours.

LemFi:  The remittance platform, which supports transfers to several African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt, helps you to receive international money transfers from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and specific countries in Europe. If someone sends you money through their LemFi wallet, you can receive it in your country’s currency in minutes.

Piggyvest (Nigeria): You know, when you’ve budgeted your entire December, but the ‘if I perish, I perish’ vibe is coming on strong? Rebuke every spirit of overspending, please. Don’t forget January is coming, too. With Piggyvest’s Safelock, you can lock your funds in different safes (get it?) until its maturity date—whether it’s concert funds for the 9th or a girls’ night out on the 17th. Piggyvest also recently updated its payment infrastructure to guard against downtime, so you can fund your wallets without any delays when using your Pocket App account number.

M-Pesa (Kenya): We all know M-Pesa. But through the ‘My Spend’ section on your M-Pesa app, you can see an overview of your spending, which is a handy feature for the holiday season. Not only can you evaluate your spending habits from previous months, but you can also track your spending.

SnapScan (South Africa): Please, no more failed card swipes. With SnapScan, the transaction relies on scanning a QR code with your phone and confirming it with a PIN or biometric. It bypasses unstable card machines that can fail due to poor Wi-Fi in the market or traffic spikes. If you’re out with friends in the town and need to split the bill, send the funds to their SnapScan wallet. 

Zapper (South Africa): Widely used at various merchants, links to a variety of payment methods, including cards and digital wallets.

Scan to Pay (South Africa): Scan to Pay is part of the larger QR ecosystem and allows contactless payments through your existing banking app. It’s a digital alternative that does not rely on traditional point-of-sale (POS) terminals that may go offline during network issues.

Ozow (South Africa): If you run a small business, Ozow facilitates lightning-fast, bank-to-bank payments without requiring you to enter bank details for each transaction, and is integrated with most major South African banks. When you choose to pay with Ozow, you are taken to a secure page to select your bank. After this, you are redirected to your bank’s online banking login page to enter your credentials and authorise the payment. Funds are transferred instantly from the customer’s account to the merchant’s account.

PayFast (South Africa): Small businesses can expedite payments with PayFast (South Africa), a comprehensive payment gateway that provides Instant Electronic Funds Transfer (EFTs) and numerous other payment options.

Yoco (South Africa): If you run a small business or sell at a pop-up event, Yoco offers instant payouts, which is great for businesses that need to restock or cover expenses quickly. 

Lifestyle apps to navigate the chaos

Think of these as your compass for fun. Want to know the places to go, how to get there and what to eat? Then these apps are a non-negotiable and a must-have.

Event discovery 

Tix Africa: If you’re in South Africa, Ghana or Nigeria, Tix Africa is your digital one-stop for all the concerts and parties. You can filter events by ticket price and buy tickets in-app in just a few minutes. An update to the Tix app, slated for the first week of December, will introduce a ticket resale feature. This will allow users to sell tickets for events they decide not to attend.

PartyVest (Nigeria): Your event-planning and event-discovery app, all in one place. If you’re also planning a get-together or a party of your own, PartyVest allows you to cater to vendors and attendees from one app.

Dining & food  

Chowdeck/Glovo/HeyFood (Nigeria): You might be too tired to cook after a concert, but the good news is that you can always order takeout. If you need medication, Glovo and Chowdeck also let you order over-the-counter medication and deliver it to your doorstep in just a few taps.

Dineplan (South Africa): Trying to stay ahead of the restaurant frenzy? Dineplan is crucial for booking restaurant tables during the Dezemba rush in Cape Town or Johannesburg. Make your online reservations with Dineplan, read reviews & browse menus for over 2000 South African restaurants.

Mobility & travel  

Uber/Bolt (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa): No car, no problem? If you want to commute with ease and in style, within or between cities, then hail a ride on the Bolt or Uber app. In SA, Uber Premium Hourly lets you book a ride for a fixed time (with optional multiple stops) or rent a car through the Uber app. 

Indrive (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa): This app offers rides at a price you choose, because you need to be wise with your coins in December. When you want to book a ride, you make a price bid, and riders close by can accept or negotiate the price before 

Security apps: Staying safe outside

December sees a spike in petty crime and road accidents. Your smartphone can be your most vital safety tool—but only if you know how to use the features. Here are apps you can use to stay safe while having a good time.

Namola (South Africa): In the Namola app, clicking the SOS button connects you instantly to a 24/7 Command Centre operator who receives your exact GPS location immediately. When in an unfamiliar area, Namola allows you to join local communities to share and receive alerts about suspicious behaviour or incidents in those areas.

Life360 (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa): For you and your inner circle after a night out, Life360 helps you track each other and make sure everyone gets home safely.

Truecaller (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa): You wouldn’t want anyone making their December detty through your wallet. During the holidays, spam and scam calls become more frequent. Truecaller will help you filter out potential scammers if they ring your phone.

Emergency Response Africa (Nigeria): No one wants a health scare or an emergency while having a good time. With an average response time of 22 minutes, ERA is set up to respond to emergencies across Nigeria. 

Ride-hailing safety features within ride-hailing apps

The ‘Share My Trip’ or  ‘Share Status’ feature on your ride-hailing apps turns a temporary ride into a monitored journey for your trusted contacts. You can share a link with your best friend or loved one that shows the driver’s name, licence plate number, and car make or model, all in real-time.

The in-app emergency button: When activated in the Uber app, it first connects you to their 24/7 security team, which can silently monitor the situation before escalating to local authorities if necessary. Unlike a regular call, where you manually describe where you are and who you are with, the in-app button automatically transmits your precise GPS location, the driver’s name, the vehicle licence plate, and your destination to the responders.

So, whether it’s a concert, a night out or dinner with the gang, having the right apps on standby ensures the vibes don’t stop until you say so. Have fun responsibly and keep these safety features on standby, so every celebrated moment ends with a safe arrival home.