In a recently published report by Canalys, it has been disclosed that the African smartphone market experienced a robust 12% year-on-year growth in the third quarter of 2023, with a total of 17.9 million units shipped to the continent during this period.
Contrary to the global trend, where the smartphone market faced a one per cent decline in the same quarter, the African market showcased resilience and a growing appetite for mobile technology.
The report highlighted that TRANSSION, the mobile group encompassing Tecno, Infinix, and iTel brands, maintained its dominance with a 48% market share, achieving a notable 9% annual growth.
Despite facing challenges in its mid-to-high-end devices, Samsung retained its second position with a 26% market share, although it experienced a 13% decline.
Notably, Xiaomi and OPPO emerged as success stories, boasting impressive annual growth rates of 100% and 259%, respectively.
Their resurgence was attributed to substantial investments, particularly in the Egyptian market, contributing to positive Q3 results.
Realme, leveraging its iconic Number series, achieved an impressive 11% growth.
The brand’s focus on innovative high-spec, low-cost pricing, especially with its C series, positioned it as a key player in the market.
Canalys senior consultant, Manish Pravinkumar, emphasized the strong resilience demonstrated by the African market amidst macroeconomic challenges.
South Africa’s smartphone market stood out with a remarkable 20% growth, driven by demand for entry-level devices, catering to the extensive pre-paid segment.
The mid-tier devices also experienced increased demand, attributed in part to power outages, with consumers prioritizing smartphones with quality screens and robust battery life.
Nigeria’s smartphone market expanded significantly, with TRANSSION playing a pivotal role by offering entry-level devices. Xiaomi successfully positioned itself as an aspirational brand, gaining popularity with products such as the Redmi series A2, Note 12 4G, 12, and 12C.
Xiaomi’s strategy was also successful in North African countries like Egypt and Morocco, where Egypt experienced a double-digit 19% growth in smartphone shipments.
This growth signaled that vendors effectively addressed challenges posed by strict import restrictions in the previous year.
The Canalys report paints a picture of a thriving and dynamic smartphone market in Africa, showcasing both the resilience of the market and the success stories of key players in the industry.
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