WumDrop, a South African courier and fleet management application that allows user to pick up or deliver anything, anywhere at anytime, has won the 2015 MTN App of the Year Award, scooping prizes to the value of R220 000.

The 2015 MTN App of the Year challenge culminated in an award ceremony in Sandton, Johannesburg, yesterday.

WumDrop co-founders Simon Hartley and Roy Borole assured IT Web Africa that a plan to roll out the app in other African countries is in the making.

Hartley says there are a few aspects to consider when planning expansion into Africa.

"One is sales need, countries have a delivery industry where all the power is in the hands of the delivery guys and where the market is ripe for disruption. There are a couple of countries that we've identified like that - Namibia definitely. But then you also consider from an operations point of view which are the countries that have the best roads and the best address data."

Borole's summation of their Africa expansion plan was a cheeky retort that WumDrop would be available in any country with the colour green on its flag.

Selling applications in other African markets is no mean feat according to Christiaan Liebenberg, a member of the team trying to distribute DStv Now, a winner in the Best Consumer App category.

"The take up is not as much as South Africa, it's probably about ten percent penetration of what we have in South Africa, but it is getting better."

Winning advice

MTN Business has plans to bring the award show, now in its third year in South Africa, to the rest of Africa - although head marketing Mandisa Ntloko would not say when this would happen.

WumDrop's Hartley had advice for application developers around the continent who are looking to monetise their ideas.

"There is two people I'd give advice to ...non-tech founders and tech founders. To non-tech founders I'd say don't develop with somebody who is outside of your country, outside of your culture or outside your timezone or language. Develop with people who are in your country as its is important for communication, control and accountability. From a tech founder point of view, I would say that you are probably at a small advantage because you can build the product that you need, but do not look down on sales guys and marketing guys and get up to speed with the business jargon and what it takes to close a deal as quickly as possible. You can build a marvellous statue but if no one buys it you are still poor."

Other winners on the night included Vula Mobile in the Most Innovative App category, CPUT Mobile in the Best Enterprise Development App, EskomSePush took honours as the Best Breakthrough Developer App, and Micro-jobbing platform M4JAM (Money for Jam) which was conferred the Best Wild Card App award for 2015.