Facebook launches Instagram Lite in Sub-Saharan Africa

Facebook, a US multinational company, has announced the launch of Instagram Lite in Sub-Saharan Africa to address connectivity issues in the region.

In a statement on Friday, the company said the initiative is a lightweight version of the Instagram app for Android that uses fewer data and works well across all network conditions.

Facebook explained that the new version of Instagram Lite for Android is less than 2MB in size, making it fast to install and quick to load.

According to the company, Instagram Lite not only works similarly to the Instagram app for Android but also allows the Instagram experience to remain fast and reliable for more people.

Peter Shin, engineering manager for Instagram Lite, said the initiative was introduced in Sub-Saharan Africa because of the unstable network in the region which affects connectivity.

“Connectivity in the region can be unstable, slow and expensive, making it challenging for people to have a high-quality Instagram experience. Many people were already familiar with the concept of a Lite app after the successful roll-out of Facebook Lite some years ago,” Shin said.

“We started testing the new version of Instagram Lite when people across the continent started asking for a Lite app for Android. The feedback was very positive and we are excited to launch it across the continent today.

“Our team aims to leave no one behind, so today we are very excited to bring Instagram Lite to people in over 170 countries, including the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region.”