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Case study: Paga — Buy Data redesign (September 2025).

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Overview

Paga's Buy Data feature lets users purchase mobile data bundles directly in-app. On paper, it's a simple flow. In practice, the numbers told a different story nearly half of users who started the flow never completed a purchase, and the design was leaving significant promotional revenue on the table. This case study walks through how I identified the root causes, explored two distinct design directions, and validated a solution through usability testing.

The problem

In September 2025, data from the Buy Data funnel showed that 17,506 users initiated a data purchase, but only 9,442 completed it. That's a 46% drop-off rate, with projected profits reduced by 26% as a result. A second problem ran alongside this: the current design had no meaningful space to surface network provider promotions. This wasn't just a missed UX opportunity, it translated to approximately $20,000 in lost profit-sharing revenue.

Two clear problems emerged:

• High drop-off at bundle selection. Users were abandoning the flow at the point of choosing a data plan, suggesting the selection experience was causing confusion or friction.
• Invisible promotions. Because the design didn't highlight network deals, users were leaving Paga to buy data through the MTN app instead where promotions were clearly visible and felt more competitive.

The objective

Increase completion rates of the Buy Data flow while creating space to surface network promotions improving user engagement and driving higher-value transactions.

1. Empathise

Understanding where users dropped off

I started by digging into Amplitude analytics to confirm exactly where in the flow users were abandoning. The data showed a strong correlation between session end events and the bundle selection steps - users were getting there, getting overwhelmed, and leaving.

Research insights

Three patterns stood out from the data and qualitative signals:

• Most users abandoned at the bundle selection step. The volume of plans with no clear grouping made scanning difficult and decisions slow.
• Users were opting for the MTN app over Paga because it showed cheaper deals and visible promotions upfront a direct competitive disadvantage.
• The lack of in-app promotional visibility wasn't just a UX issue, it was actively losing Paga revenue from profit-sharing arrangements with network providers.

Competitive audit