17m Smartphones Imported Into African Markets –Report

A total of 17.9 million units of smartphones were shipped to the African markets in the third quarter of 2023 (Q3), a new report has disclosed.

The latest report by the global research firm, Canalys, revealed that African market recorded a 12 per cent growth year-on-year in smartphone shipments in the third quarter of 2023.

According to the latest report by the global research firm, Canalys, a total of 17.9 million units of smartphones were shipped to the continent in the period under review.

For the same period, the global smartphone market declined by one per cent according to Canalys.

Findings of the report showed that TRANSSION, the mobile group comprising Tecno, Infinix, and iTel brands, maintained its leading position, and achieved nine per cent annual growth, securing a dominant 48 per cent market share.

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Also, Samsung was hit by a 13 per cent decline due to challenges in its mid-to-high-end devices, retained second position with a 26 per cent market share.

Meanwhile, Xiaomi and OPPO’s successful resurgence with impressive annual growth rates of 100 per cent and 259 per cent, respectively were fueled by significant investments, especially in the Egyptian market, which contributed to positive Q3 results.

Realme’s iconic Number series helped garner an impressive 11 per cent growth. At its core is the C series which is hailed as the brand’s ‘Hero range’ for its focus on innovative high-spec, low-cost pricing.
Explaining the findings of the report, Canalys senior consultant, Manish Pravinkumar, averred that the African market has demonstrated strong resilience in demand and supply amid macroeconomic challenges.

“Despite rapid currency devaluation, South Africa’s smartphone market exhibited a remarkable growth of 20 per cent. This surge was fueled by the demand for entry-level devices, particularly catering to the extensive pre-paid segment.

“Additionally, mid-tier devices experienced heightened demand, the prevalence of load-shedding contributed to this trend, as people increasingly prioritize smartphones with quality screens and robust battery life to keep them entertained during power outages. Nigeria’s smartphone market expanded substantially, with TRANSSION playing a pivotal role by offering entry-level devices and Xiaomi successfully positioning itself as an aspirational brand for many consumers, gaining popularity with products such as the Redmi series A2, Note 12 4G, 12, and 12C.

“A strategy was also successful for Xiaomi in North African countries such as Egypt and Morocco. Egypt experienced double-digit 19 per cent growth in smartphone shipments, signalling vendors have successfully addressed the challenges posed by strict import restrictions in the previous year,” he said.