A new report has found that Nokia faces “significant challenges” in ensuring its Ovi Store becomes a success, with up to 20 percent of existing app developers unwilling to commit to using the store again in the future.

Open-First has revealed the results of a survey of 100 top developers publishing mobile apps to the Nokia Ovi Store. Although the report notes that Nokia has steadily improved the store since launch in May 2009, “having 20 percent of Nokia’s top developers suggest that they would leave Ovi is certainly a sign of trouble ahead if remaining problems are not addressed.”

The report found that the number one problem for Nokia is the fact that less than 20 percent of developers selling apps on the Ovi Store are either making as much as they had expected or more, whilst over 80 percent complained they are making less, and some “far less,” than they had anticipated. Given the competitive marketplace with the likes of Android Market and Apple’s App Store, notes the report, this has to be Nokia’s “number one concern.”

In terms of overall satisfaction with the Ovi Store, 15 percent of developers said they rate Ovi as “average”, while 43 percent said they are less than satisfied. 42 percent are somewhat satisfied/satisfied/very satisfied.

Compared to other app stores, 42 percent of respondents using other stores said they think Ovi Store is below average, while 37 percent think Ovi is average and 21 percent think Ovi is above average.

Interestingly, although 81 percent of respondents said they are going to keep using Ovi Store, the report claims that this is “not necessarily because they are happy with the store as it is today, but because they cannot avoid using it and because they’re seeing improvements.”

Nokia did score well on the overall registration process for developers, and the quality of reporting available.