NewStats: 3,261,357 , 8,173,780 topics. Date: Thursday, 29 May 2025 at 12:03 AM 5f411b

Canalys' latest research reveals a significant resurgence in Africa’s smartphone market, realme with other smartphone brands benefited with shipments reaching 19.2 million units in Q4 2023 with 24% year-on-year growth.

The surge in Q4 was fueled by rising demand for digital services, burgeoning social media engagement, and the proliferation of ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ options acting as catalysts. Despite economic challenges (South Africa, grappled with energy crises, Nigeria navigated government reforms in the oil sector, and Egypt faced foreign exchange scarcities), the region’s top three markets experienced robust growth. Assisted by the introduction of more affordable smartphone options, South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt grew 15%, 63%, and 63% respectively. For the full year, the region reached 68.7 million units, up 6% from 2022. This was mainly due to better consumer confidence in the second half of 2023.

The shift from feature phones to affordable smartphones in African markets reflects a strong consumer push for modernization and improved connectivity, resulting in rising vendor-level activities in the entry-level segment,” said Canalys Senior Consultant in Dubai, Manish Pravinkumar. “In Q4 2023, shipments of smartphones in the ultra-low-end (sub-US$100) segment experienced a noteworthy 43% year-on-year growth. This surge was predominantly driven by the TRANSSION brands, which introduced new low-end models in H2 2023. Despite declines in certain markets, South Africa remains crucial for Samsung, contributing 30% of its volume from Africa with its A-series models A14 and A04 as key drivers. Xiaomi has aggressively expanded its product range, including the new Redmi 13 lineup, to cater to consumers seeking better aesthetics. Xiaomi's success is attributed to its marketing strategy, which involves significant investments in social media marketing, influencer collaborations, and online promotions, establishing it as an appealing brand for the tech-savvy youth.”

“African consumers want higher specs in entry-level devices, especially in RAM and storage due to increased digitalization and social media use. New brands are using diverse products and partnerships to establish themselves in specific markets, while established players are chasing untapped market opportunities,” added Pravinkumar. “OPPO experienced a strong surge of 156% in growth, mainly fueled by expanding markets in Arab-speaking nations such as Egypt and Morocco. Despite not clinching a top five spot, Huawei's remarkable 371% growth, particularly driven by South Africa, highlights its success in offering a wide array of smartphones ed by HMS across various price ranges to effectively cater to diverse consumer preferences. Although some Sub-Saharan African markets have reached maturity for TRANSSION brands, the company is seizing growth opportunities in North African markets like Morocco, Egypt and Algeria, where Q4 2023 witnessed an average growth of around 94%.”

“Demand for smartphones in African countries will continue to surge amid technological paradigm shifts. With disposable incomes constrained across multiple countries; vendors, governments, and telcos will aggressively tackle smartphone affordability and high internet costs through innovative solutions,” added Pravinkumar. “In sub-Saharan markets, governments and operators are striving to provide affordable 4G smartphones, as seen with Airtel Rwanda, to boost internet access. Countries such as Kenya and Zambia are even setting up smartphone manufacturing plants to drive affordability. However, the region will continue to witness macro challenges from government policy changes on taxes and imports. Channel partners are also worried about rising import costs and currency fluctuations potentially affecting profit margins in the forthcoming year. Canalys remains cautiously optimistic for 2024 and expects single-digit growth in the African smartphone market owing to rising initiatives in product marketing and various financing options.”

https://www.canalys.com/newsroom/africa-smartphone-market-Q4-2023?ctid=3876-fc6930fe391582ac075a08fe36a4827b

realme has quickly made a name for itself in Nigeria’s smartphone scene. In such a short time, the brand has gained attention with phones like the realmeNote 50, realmeC61, and realmeC75—offering a great mix of style, performance, and affordability. These models are becoming favorites, especially among young Nigerians who want quality smartphones with great features without breaking the bank. realme’s smart approach is clearly paying off, and it's exciting to see how far the brand will go.

Richie001:
realme has quickly made a name for itself in Nigeria’s smartphone scene. In such a short time, the brand has gained attention with phones like the realmeNote 50, realmeC61, and realmeC75—offering a great mix of style, performance, and affordability. These models are becoming favorites, especially among young Nigerians who want quality smartphones with great features without breaking the bank. realme’s smart approach is clearly paying off, and it's exciting to see how far the brand will go.

they've achieved so much after entering the Nigerian market which is really applaudable, it’s no surprise young people are loving it.

realme’s involvement in the Nigerian smartphone market is very strategic and beneficial to the s of smartphones in Nigeria. They came up with devices that meet the growing demands of s without having to be on the high price, because their devices are rather way affordable for the specs and features they each are equipped with. Kudos to them, we hope they would maintain the consistency in the product value and prices

Realme brand had quickly gone viral in the Nigeria smartphone market. The brand had gained attention based on the inventions of quality and standards smartphone they produced to satisfied and build the confidence of their customers. Qualities such as strong and fast charging batteries, sharp and clear camera lens, IP69 Dust & Water Resistance, ArmorShell™ Glass, Up to 8GB + 16GB Dynamic RAM + 256GB ROM. This brand are super amazing, always giving the best 👍👍

I'm seeing some similar brand names here. Like redmi and realme. What's the actual difference? With their names so close to each other, won't there be mistakes in purchases?

The rate at which other brands that are not transsion are rising fast both popularly and with good technology in their gadgets is impressive.

People love innovation. When there are no new ideas, designs or features in your brand, you'd eventually lose out. Phone trends arise every now and then so there is a need to keep up to ensure sales.

Due to economic situations... The African market especially this 9ja wey we dey. It's a treasure trove for whichever brand can produce greater value at lesser price.. Some brands are already harnessing this sector.
High priced phones is for a select few

Richie001:
realme has quickly made a name for itself in Nigeria’s smartphone scene. In such a short time, the brand has gained attention with phones like the realmeNote 50, realmeC61, and realmeC75—offering a great mix of style, performance, and affordability. These models are becoming favorites, especially among young Nigerians who want quality smartphones with great features without breaking the bank. realme’s smart approach is clearly paying off, and it's exciting to see how far the brand will go.

@the bolded realme been around since 2018
the reason Nigerians are paying attention to them now is because of the iPhone & Samsung level pricing on present tecno and infinix phones, which makes them significantly cheaper than them.

p.s I can't vouch for any of the mentioned phones neither am i a paid marketer..
thank you 👍

The ultra-low-end (sub-US$100) segment experienced a noteworthy 43% year-on-year growth, driven by TRANSSION brands introducing new low-end models, and I love it.

Keep pushing the boundaries realme this is what innovation looks like

The smartphone market in Nigeria is getting interesting with new brands emerging. It's exciting to see how they'll shake things up

Wryyy:


@the bolded realme been around since 2018
the reason Nigerians are paying attention to them now is because of the iPhone & Samsung level pricing on present tecno and infinix phones, which makes them significantly cheaper than them.

p.s I can't vouch for any of the mentioned phones neither am i a paid marketer..
thank you 👍

I love how realme C75 looks rugged yet sleek. Stylish and strong

onlyedwin:
they've achieved so much after entering the Nigerian market which is really applaudable, it’s no surprise young people are loving it.

That battery size and fast charging combo is exactly what we needed! ⚡🔋

Richie001:
realme has quickly made a name for itself in Nigeria’s smartphone scene. In such a short time, the brand has gained attention with phones like the realmeNote 50, realmeC61, and realmeC75—offering a great mix of style, performance, and affordability. These models are becoming favorites, especially among young Nigerians who want quality smartphones with great features without breaking the bank. realme’s smart approach is clearly paying off, and it's exciting to see how far the brand will go.

Just when I thought budget phones couldn’t surprise me anymore, realme C75 shows up

The African market is witnessing a strong consumer push for modernization and improved connectivity, with a shift from feature phones to affordable smartphones, particularly in the entry-level segment.

New brands are establishing themselves in specific markets through diverse products and partnerships, while established players chase untapped opportunities, indicating a dynamic and competitive market.

Revolutionizing the way to Accessibility by elevating a digital lifestyle.

Valkingtheboss:
Canalys' latest research reveals a significant resurgence in Africa’s smartphone market, realme with other smartphone brands benefited with shipments reaching 19.2 million units in Q4 2023 with 24% year-on-year growth.

The surge in Q4 was fueled by rising demand for digital services, burgeoning social media engagement, and the proliferation of ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ options acting as catalysts. Despite economic challenges (South Africa, grappled with energy crises, Nigeria navigated government reforms in the oil sector, and Egypt faced foreign exchange scarcities), the region’s top three markets experienced robust growth. Assisted by the introduction of more affordable smartphone options, South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt grew 15%, 63%, and 63% respectively. For the full year, the region reached 68.7 million units, up 6% from 2022. This was mainly due to better consumer confidence in the second half of 2023.

The shift from feature phones to affordable smartphones in African markets reflects a strong consumer push for modernization and improved connectivity, resulting in rising vendor-level activities in the entry-level segment,” said Canalys Senior Consultant in Dubai, Manish Pravinkumar. “In Q4 2023, shipments of smartphones in the ultra-low-end (sub-US$100) segment experienced a noteworthy 43% year-on-year growth. This surge was predominantly driven by the TRANSSION brands, which introduced new low-end models in H2 2023. Despite declines in certain markets, South Africa remains crucial for Samsung, contributing 30% of its volume from Africa with its A-series models A14 and A04 as key drivers. Xiaomi has aggressively expanded its product range, including the new Redmi 13 lineup, to cater to consumers seeking better aesthetics. Xiaomi's success is attributed to its marketing strategy, which involves significant investments in social media marketing, influencer collaborations, and online promotions, establishing it as an appealing brand for the tech-savvy youth.”

“African consumers want higher specs in entry-level devices, especially in RAM and storage due to increased digitalization and social media use. New brands are using diverse products and partnerships to establish themselves in specific markets, while established players are chasing untapped market opportunities,” added Pravinkumar. “OPPO experienced a strong surge of 156% in growth, mainly fueled by expanding markets in Arab-speaking nations such as Egypt and Morocco. Despite not clinching a top five spot, Huawei's remarkable 371% growth, particularly driven by South Africa, highlights its success in offering a wide array of smartphones ed by HMS across various price ranges to effectively cater to diverse consumer preferences. Although some Sub-Saharan African markets have reached maturity for TRANSSION brands, the company is seizing growth opportunities in North African markets like Morocco, Egypt and Algeria, where Q4 2023 witnessed an average growth of around 94%.”

“Demand for smartphones in African countries will continue to surge amid technological paradigm shifts. With disposable incomes constrained across multiple countries; vendors, governments, and telcos will aggressively tackle smartphone affordability and high internet costs through innovative solutions,” added Pravinkumar. “In sub-Saharan markets, governments and operators are striving to provide affordable 4G smartphones, as seen with Airtel Rwanda, to boost internet access. Countries such as Kenya and Zambia are even setting up smartphone manufacturing plants to drive affordability. However, the region will continue to witness macro challenges from government policy changes on taxes and imports. Channel partners are also worried about rising import costs and currency fluctuations potentially affecting profit margins in the forthcoming year. Canalys remains cautiously optimistic for 2024 and expects single-digit growth in the African smartphone market owing to rising initiatives in product marketing and various financing options.”

https://www.canalys.com/newsroom/africa-smartphone-market-Q4-2023?ctid=3876-fc6930fe391582ac075a08fe36a4827b

Wryyy:


@the bolded realme been around since 2018
the reason Nigerians are paying attention to them now is because of the iPhone & Samsung level pricing on present tecno and infinix phones, which makes them significantly cheaper than them.

p.s I can't vouch for any of the mentioned phones neither am i a paid marketer..
thank you 👍

The realme C75 looks interesting. Will have to check it out in person

Mobyle:

Just when I thought budget phones couldn’t surprise me anymore, realme C75 shows up

yesss I just commented on it. How can you rate the device from 1-10?

Nice to see smartphone access growing in Africa despite economic challenges. Hope affordability and internet access keep improving for everyone.

African consumers are seeking higher specs in entry-level devices, especially in RAM and storage, due to increased digitalization and social media use, driving brands to innovate and expand their product ranges.

I love this insight

Most consumers are now seeking higher specs in entry-level devices, especially in RAM and storage, due to increased digitalization and social media use, driving brands to innovate and expand their product ranges.

Realme has been thriving and making so much moves I'm not even surprised

Valkingtheboss:
Canalys' latest research reveals a significant resurgence in Africa’s smartphone market, realme with other smartphone brands benefited with shipments reaching 19.2 million units in Q4 2023 with 24% year-on-year growth.

The surge in Q4 was fueled by rising demand for digital services, burgeoning social media engagement, and the proliferation of ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ options acting as catalysts. Despite economic challenges (South Africa, grappled with energy crises, Nigeria navigated government reforms in the oil sector, and Egypt faced foreign exchange scarcities), the region’s top three markets experienced robust growth. Assisted by the introduction of more affordable smartphone options, South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt grew 15%, 63%, and 63% respectively. For the full year, the region reached 68.7 million units, up 6% from 2022. This was mainly due to better consumer confidence in the second half of 2023.

The shift from feature phones to affordable smartphones in African markets reflects a strong consumer push for modernization and improved connectivity, resulting in rising vendor-level activities in the entry-level segment,” said Canalys Senior Consultant in Dubai, Manish Pravinkumar. “In Q4 2023, shipments of smartphones in the ultra-low-end (sub-US$100) segment experienced a noteworthy 43% year-on-year growth. This surge was predominantly driven by the TRANSSION brands, which introduced new low-end models in H2 2023. Despite declines in certain markets, South Africa remains crucial for Samsung, contributing 30% of its volume from Africa with its A-series models A14 and A04 as key drivers. Xiaomi has aggressively expanded its product range, including the new Redmi 13 lineup, to cater to consumers seeking better aesthetics. Xiaomi's success is attributed to its marketing strategy, which involves significant investments in social media marketing, influencer collaborations, and online promotions, establishing it as an appealing brand for the tech-savvy youth.”

“African consumers want higher specs in entry-level devices, especially in RAM and storage due to increased digitalization and social media use. New brands are using diverse products and partnerships to establish themselves in specific markets, while established players are chasing untapped market opportunities,” added Pravinkumar. “OPPO experienced a strong surge of 156% in growth, mainly fueled by expanding markets in Arab-speaking nations such as Egypt and Morocco. Despite not clinching a top five spot, Huawei's remarkable 371% growth, particularly driven by South Africa, highlights its success in offering a wide array of smartphones ed by HMS across various price ranges to effectively cater to diverse consumer preferences. Although some Sub-Saharan African markets have reached maturity for TRANSSION brands, the company is seizing growth opportunities in North African markets like Morocco, Egypt and Algeria, where Q4 2023 witnessed an average growth of around 94%.”

“Demand for smartphones in African countries will continue to surge amid technological paradigm shifts. With disposable incomes constrained across multiple countries; vendors, governments, and telcos will aggressively tackle smartphone affordability and high internet costs through innovative solutions,” added Pravinkumar. “In sub-Saharan markets, governments and operators are striving to provide affordable 4G smartphones, as seen with Airtel Rwanda, to boost internet access. Countries such as Kenya and Zambia are even setting up smartphone manufacturing plants to drive affordability. However, the region will continue to witness macro challenges from government policy changes on taxes and imports. Channel partners are also worried about rising import costs and currency fluctuations potentially affecting profit margins in the forthcoming year. Canalys remains cautiously optimistic for 2024 and expects single-digit growth in the African smartphone market owing to rising initiatives in product marketing and various financing options.”

https://www.canalys.com/newsroom/africa-smartphone-market-Q4-2023?ctid=3876-fc6930fe391582ac075a08fe36a4827b

The country's smartphone market is no joke lmao

BellarieStar:
yesss I just commented on it. How can you rate the device from 1-10?

For me 9
Need a processor of at least g99
Otherwise
Pretty good

BellarieStar:
The realme C75 looks interesting. Will have to check it out in person

Dem get walk in stores or something?

Transsion phones holds the largest share of the market due to the affordable price and durability. Many Africans prefers phones that aren’t that expensive and last long. Let’s see how realme and other phones brand will do this year.

In general, I think brands are doing well.

Valkingtheboss:
Canalys' latest research reveals a significant resurgence in Africa’s smartphone market, realme with other smartphone brands benefited with shipments reaching 19.2 million units in Q4 2023 with 24% year-on-year growth.

The surge in Q4 was fueled by rising demand for digital services, burgeoning social media engagement, and the proliferation of ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ options acting as catalysts. Despite economic challenges (South Africa, grappled with energy crises, Nigeria navigated government reforms in the oil sector, and Egypt faced foreign exchange scarcities), the region’s top three markets experienced robust growth. Assisted by the introduction of more affordable smartphone options, South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt grew 15%, 63%, and 63% respectively. For the full year, the region reached 68.7 million units, up 6% from 2022. This was mainly due to better consumer confidence in the second half of 2023.

The shift from feature phones to affordable smartphones in African markets reflects a strong consumer push for modernization and improved connectivity, resulting in rising vendor-level activities in the entry-level segment,” said Canalys Senior Consultant in Dubai, Manish Pravinkumar. “In Q4 2023, shipments of smartphones in the ultra-low-end (sub-US$100) segment experienced a noteworthy 43% year-on-year growth. This surge was predominantly driven by the TRANSSION brands, which introduced new low-end models in H2 2023. Despite declines in certain markets, South Africa remains crucial for Samsung, contributing 30% of its volume from Africa with its A-series models A14 and A04 as key drivers. Xiaomi has aggressively expanded its product range, including the new Redmi 13 lineup, to cater to consumers seeking better aesthetics. Xiaomi's success is attributed to its marketing strategy, which involves significant investments in social media marketing, influencer collaborations, and online promotions, establishing it as an appealing brand for the tech-savvy youth.”

“African consumers want higher specs in entry-level devices, especially in RAM and storage due to increased digitalization and social media use. New brands are using diverse products and partnerships to establish themselves in specific markets, while established players are chasing untapped market opportunities,” added Pravinkumar. “OPPO experienced a strong surge of 156% in growth, mainly fueled by expanding markets in Arab-speaking nations such as Egypt and Morocco. Despite not clinching a top five spot, Huawei's remarkable 371% growth, particularly driven by South Africa, highlights its success in offering a wide array of smartphones ed by HMS across various price ranges to effectively cater to diverse consumer preferences. Although some Sub-Saharan African markets have reached maturity for TRANSSION brands, the company is seizing growth opportunities in North African markets like Morocco, Egypt and Algeria, where Q4 2023 witnessed an average growth of around 94%.”

“Demand for smartphones in African countries will continue to surge amid technological paradigm shifts. With disposable incomes constrained across multiple countries; vendors, governments, and telcos will aggressively tackle smartphone affordability and high internet costs through innovative solutions,” added Pravinkumar. “In sub-Saharan markets, governments and operators are striving to provide affordable 4G smartphones, as seen with Airtel Rwanda, to boost internet access. Countries such as Kenya and Zambia are even setting up smartphone manufacturing plants to drive affordability. However, the region will continue to witness macro challenges from government policy changes on taxes and imports. Channel partners are also worried about rising import costs and currency fluctuations potentially affecting profit margins in the forthcoming year. Canalys remains cautiously optimistic for 2024 and expects single-digit growth in the African smartphone market owing to rising initiatives in product marketing and various financing options.”

https://www.canalys.com/newsroom/africa-smartphone-market-Q4-2023?ctid=3876-fc6930fe391582ac075a08fe36a4827b

Right, and they are making sales

Jesutooni:
The country's smartphone market is no joke lmao