Apple has expanded the Mac and iOS App Stores to reach another 33 countries, most of them in the Caribbean region, along with a few in Africa, the Mediterranean region and elsewhere. In addition to helping expand iOS device and Mac sales in those regions, the move will also make the iCloud service available to those countries when the service is rolled out this fall.
In the Caribbean region, the App Stores are now open in Antigua and Barbuda, Anguilla, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname , Turks and Caicos Islands, and Trinidad and Togabo. In addition, Algeria, Angola, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania have been added in Africa, while Bahrain, Oman and Yemen have been added in the Middle East. The European and Eurasian region has picked up Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cyprus, and Iceland. Asian and southeast Asian countries Uzbekistan and Brunei have been included, along with the South American nation of Bolivia.
Existing Mac and iOS App Store developers who wish to start selling products to these new markets can simply add them to their available territories through their iTunes Connect accounts.
With this latest expansion, App Store apps are now available for purchase in about 123 nations. Apple still has some room left to expand, with several African, Middle Eastern, and South Pacific nations remaining unrepresented on the App Store.
I was able to confirm that Nigeria has indeed been listed, which hitherto, was not the case. However, one can only hope that there would not be any for of discrimination to our credit cards or extreme market segmentation as is currently available whereby a sizable number of quality apps are only available in the US app store.
I have not been able to make purchases from the Nigerian app store yet as I am not yet sure of what services i may lose if i switch my ID from the US app store where it is currently registered.
– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
23 comments
Quest
How can I create USA apple id
Biodun
Thanks Rachel
You explanation actually helped me. I searched google on how to change my iPhone from US store to Nigeria store and was fortunate to come along your site.
I will be here again if I have any issues. Thanks
Rachel
@Gbenga, Thoye and Njobuanwu…….. Hope my above post helps solve ur issues. Cheers
Njobuanwu Eke
How can I register with the Apple store Nigeria??
Rachel
Simple go to ur Settings on ur Ipad (mine is an Ipad 3 so in case some things differ after now just find where urs is ok) – click on ITunes Apps store – click on ur Apple ID – View apple ID – click on the Country/region column (even if it already says NigeriA) – attempt to change it but still select Nigeria…..keep going to the last instruction and ur store shud change to the Nigerian Store immediately. Just did mine now and I had been having issue with it for months. Hope this is helpful.
Thoye
Been trying to change to the Nigerian store on my iPad, can somebody please help me? Am unable to download apps
Gbenga Adegbite
Each time I tried to update or download any apps from my iPad, it keeps saying I should switch to nigeria store from USA store, but I bought the iPad here in Lagos nigeria….So what do I do
Dotun
I just got a new IPAD 2 and the screen seems to have a defect.Is there an Apple Support Center in NIgeria?,..If yes, where can I find one and fix this IPAD.Your prompt response will be appreciated.
Wale Falade
Unfortunately, i do not know of any Apple repair center in Lagos. There are unauthorized stores in The Palms Mall and Civic center Lagos, you may ask there.
castletitan
Have tried purchasing apps @the store but my visa card was declined.
Olawale
Coming to Nigeria for Apple is a good thing because Nigerians is among the best countries of the world using Apple products.
Though, they are using it illegally but now, they can now have access to it without stress.
Thanks for letting us know about this
Wale Falade
Hi Kelechi. I doubt if your iphone is unfixable. I will suggest you reinstall the OS on the phone. First, you will need to download the IOS version on your phone, have the latest itunes installed on your PC and of course, have the cable ready. Can you remember the IOS version on the phone so i can point you to where to download it from? I must warn that it is a large file, almost 500MB if i am not wrong.
Paschal Kelechi
Pls I have an Iphone 3gs that I have been using for a while now but I have not been able to play mp3 music on it,so one day I was trying to do factory reset to see if I would be able to sync it with ma laptop but while I was trying to reset it, unknowing to me that the reset I was doing was going to wipe the Operating System of the phone out.Now if I ON it,it only shows apple logo and nothing more will show meaning that I have lost everything. I have gone online to see if I will be able to get the OS again but was asked to visit the nearest apple store which we don’t have in Nigeria for now. Pls Sir,I love my Iphone so much and can’t afford to lose it so I need ur candid advise on how to make it work again for me Plsssssssss.I await ur utmost response Sir.Thanks and remain Blessed
kenneth okafor
i love the way ipple works and i will want to b one of d repaier in nigeria, what will it take one to become?
umar
where is apples App store in Nigeria pls.
Wale Falade
It is an online store, not a physical one
bigcil
i have tried opening an apple account with my naira master card from gt bank and they keep sayn the billing address is not nigerian and i put everything correctly.. postal code 23439 (cos am based in ogun state) my address i gave the bank and etc … wwhy cant they open it for me
Wale Falade
What you need is a dollar denominated card and not naira.
Tayo
GTBank mastercard is fully acceptable. Nigeria is a vast market and I wonder why they haven’t exploited it since. Its great news to us Apple fans who have been eagerly waiting for this. Cheerio!
Bxghanni
Interestng article, please keep us posted on further developments.
Teeogo
You will lose nothing if you register. They accept Gtbank naira MasterCard. I have purchased several apps from the Nigerian app store already. I have a us account also just FYI.
Wale Falade
At the moment, i do not think there would be any Apple physical presence in Nigeria, except some rich dude here can get a franchise.
Slam Dunk
That’s nice, but are also refering to apple opening a physical apple store in Nigeria or just for their online services.