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Dating apps tend to compete on the same promises: more matches, better filters, fewer fake profiles. The Nigerian platform 8PM has taken a slightly different route with its latest update, building a feature around the app’s own name. A nightly “8PM Tonight” session now pairs users in short blind voice dates at 8 p.m., a format that puts conversation ahead of photos and keeps profiles hidden unless both people choose to reveal them. Alongside that, the update tightens verification and reworks the look and feel of the app, in what its developers present as a redesign of how adults meet and network online.
The details come from the release notes for version 1.4.4 on Apple’s App Store listing, which is dated early September, and from the product pages on the company’s own website. The main feature is simple to describe. Each night, users can join a three-minute blind voice date, and the notes say the experience is personality first, with profiles revealed only if both people say yes. A countdown and icebreaker prompts are built in so that nobody freezes in the first few seconds, and users can tap the 8PM logo at any time to jump into Tonight.
The idea has a clear logic. Swipe-based apps ask people to decide in a second based on a handful of photos, which can feel shallow and, for many users, tiring. A timed voice conversation shifts attention to tone, humour and how easily a chat flows, while the mutual-consent reveal protects people who would rather not share a face with a stranger. It is also a low-pressure commitment, since three minutes is short enough to end without awkwardness. Whether it produces better matches than a standard swipe feed is untested in public data, and the notes do not offer usage figures, but the concept fits a market in which users say they want more intentional meetings.
Safety is the second theme of the update. The release notes describe an instant selfie verification flow with a new camera experience, and say a user can earn a blue tick in under a minute. Verified badges are now a standard tool across social platforms, and for dating they matter even more, because fake accounts and catfishing are among the most common complaints. The company’s website says its photo verification is designed to reduce both. Users should still treat a badge as one signal, not a guarantee, and the more sensitive question is what happens to selfie data after it is collected. Anyone planning to verify should read the app’s privacy policy, since the release notes say nothing about how the images are stored or used.
The update also improves the basics of communication. Calls now keep running when a phone screen locks, which makes blind dates and voice calls easier to do hands-free, and video calls gain filters, reactions and 1080p quality, according to the release notes. Faster calling and a round of fixes are also listed. Elsewhere, a refreshed visual style brings orange hearts throughout, a new prediction ball and a cleaner chat and support experience, along with stickers, text and emojis that can be saved with photos and videos. These are cosmetic and practical changes, but they matter in an app where people spend most of their time in chat.
Discovery has been adjusted too. The notes say the Discover tab now shows fresh faces daily, with the nearest people first, and that users can see who viewed their profile. Location-based discovery is the app’s long-standing selling point, and its website says users can browse people nearby or explore other cities and control their own visibility. Premium subscribers get extras such as unlimited likes, profile boosts and the ability to see who has looked at them, according to the app’s pages, though pricing is not published in the sources reviewed.
For context, 8PM is not a newcomer. The app was launched in 2021 by the comedian Clement Akpobome Ogudu, widely known as Isoko Boy, and Vanguard reported at the time that it shot to the top of the Nigerian Apple App Store. It was then described by its founder as a hookup and dating platform for adults aged 18 and above. The current marketing is softer and broader, with the website calling it Africa’s number one dating and social app and speaking of real relationships, friendships and meaningful connections. The company also says millions of Africans use it, a figure that is self-reported and that this article could not verify independently. A ranking tracker, Similarweb, listed the app as the top-ranked dating app on Android in Nigeria on September 9, which suggests it remains a prominent name in a small field, though store rankings are not the same as user counts.
One feature in the product mix stands out for its unusual placement. The website describes an AI tool called Ovie that offers sports predictions and helps users build bet slips, and earlier release notes mention customizing an AI slip by switching a predicted market to your own pick. Combining dating with sports forecasting is a curious choice, and it ties the app to betting culture, which is popular in Nigeria. Betting carries financial risk, and no prediction tool guarantees outcomes, so readers should approach any such feature with caution and play responsibly. The app is for adults only, and nothing in the notes suggests that the AI feature changes how matching works.
The wider picture is that local dating platforms are trying to differentiate themselves from global giants by adding social features, not only matching. The app has also experimented with stories, where users share moments, and with subscriptions that let people follow creators, according to earlier version notes. That blend of dating, social networking and entertainment is how the platform appears to be pitching itself to a generation that expects an app to do more than one job. It is also a hedge against the common pattern in dating, where users who find a partner leave, since content and community can keep people engaged.
There are open questions that independent reviews would help answer. How well does the blind-date format work in practice, and how many people actually use it each night? Do verification and moderation reduce scams, which remain a real problem on every platform? What protections exist for users who report harassment, and how quickly does the support team respond? The release notes mention a cleaner support experience, which is a good sign, but they do not show response times. For a service that handles personal photos, voices and location data, transparency about these points will matter more over time than the colour of the hearts.
For users, a few sensible habits apply no matter which app they choose. Meet in public places for a first date, tell a friend where you are going, avoid sending money to anyone you have not met, and be wary of anyone who pushes to move the conversation to another platform quickly. Voice dates can be a safer first step than sharing photos, but they are still a conversation with a stranger.
Readers who follow Nigeria’s technology, lifestyle and business stories can find more coverage at BusinessTech Nigeria. More details on the app’s features and verification are on the official 8PM website, where users can also find links to download the latest version.
