Telecom
Smartphones Account for 18.0% African Mobile Phone Market Volume
Smartphone shipments to Africa were up 21.5% year on year for Q2 2013, as Nokia has continued to dominate the feature phone market.
According to International Data Corporation most recent Middle East and Africa Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker®, the leading global market intelligence and advisory firm for the information technology and telecommunications markets announced that smartphones now account for 18.0% of the overall African mobile phone market’s volume.
Samsung currently dominates the African smartphone market, recording 52.1% unit share for Q2 2013. This represents the fourth quarter in a row that the South Korean giant’s market share has hovered around the 50% mark. BlackBerry trailed way behind with 17.8% share of the market’s volume. The vendor’s position improved by almost three percentage points on the previous quarter as the brand still retains a high level of popularity in the Africa region due to its cheaper data packages.
LG has been trying to gain a foothold in the market but its products have not been very successful with the masses, and the vendor accounted for less than 2% of the African smartphone market in Q2 2013.
Sony, on the other hand, has reinvented itself with its new lineup after buying out Ericsson’s share in the company.
The Japanese vendor’s midrange and high-end devices are pushing hard against the offerings of the market leaders, with its unit share increasing constantly, up from 0.3% to 3.4% year on year in Q2 2013.
Nokia continues to dominate the feature-phone market, despite the well-publicized difficulties it has encountered in making a comeback in the smartphone space.
The vendor accounted for 58.5% of the feature-phone market’s volume in Q2 2013, down only slightly on its performance in the corresponding quarter of 2012. Samsung trailed in second place with 13.6% unit share.
“There is a huge gap between the leaders and the rest of the market players for both smartphones and feature phones,” says Simon Baker, program manager for mobile handsets at IDC CEMA.
“As a continent, Africa requires a very significant commitment in terms of local offices and resources in order to build out a presence and logistical capabilities across so many countries. Samsung, with its broad range of consumer electronics products and unwavering ambition, has been able to achieve just that, in the same vein as Nokia did before it.”
While the task is seemingly putting off smaller players, Hamza Saleem, a senior research analyst for mobile devices at IDC MEA believes there is room for nimble regional brands that pick just a few countries on which to focus.
“They can source Android smartphones at very competitive prices from a host of Chinese manufacturing plants and launch them under their own brands,” says Saleem. “The most prominent such brand is Tecno. It started off with relatively simple phones but is now offering more sophisticated smartphones and is very active in West and East Africa.”
The price of mobile broadband is falling across Africa thanks to the spread of fiber-optic links connecting to the new ocean cables that dot the continent’s coastline. South Africa remains the largest smartphone market, with more than a million units being shipped each quarter, but IDC’s latest figures show Nigeria is rapidly gaining ground.
With the repercussions of the Arab Spring continuing to be felt strongly in some parts of the region, the economic situation in countries such as Egypt has deteriorated.
Such economic constraints have had a negative impact on the top end of the market in the affected countries, with consumers moving toward lower-end feature phones as confidence waivers due to ongoing conflicts in the major cities. Against this backdrop, IDC expects the North Africa region to see a decline in mobile shipments for the foreseeable future.
IDC forecasts the African smartphone market to double in volume over the next four years and account for close to a third of all handset shipments to the continent by 2017.
Feature phones remain the heart of the African mobile phone market, and IDC believes that as the number of mobile users increases across the continent, feature-phone volumes will remain strong despite the growth in smartphone shipments.
Vivo, Chinese smartphone maker has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Credit Direct, Nigerian consumer finance company to launch a device financing programme in the country.
L-R: Toni Liu, CEO, vivo Nigeria, and Chukwuma Nwanze, MD/CEO, Credit Direct, at the MoU signing in Lagos
This initiative aims to remove barriers to smartphone ownership while supporting Vivo’s expansion strategy in Nigeria.
Under the terms of the agreement, customers can purchase a Vivo smartphone by paying 20% upfront and spreading the remaining balance over six months.
Credit Direct will provide the financing.
Both companies target sales of more than 200,000 devices in the first year.
“People who need smartphones but cannot pay upfront can now do so through a payment plan that does not strain their monthly income. Our mission has always been to make financial solutions a universal opportunity, and this is exactly what this represents in practice. I am truly excited about what we can achieve together,” said Chukwuma Nwanze, chief executive officer of Credit Direct.
This initiative comes as smartphone financing programs gain momentum across Africa, where device affordability remains a key barrier to mobile internet adoption.
According to the GSMA, the median cost of an entry-level smartphone in Nigeria fell from $84 in 2018 to $18 in 2024, reducing its share of average monthly income to 26%.
However, currency depreciation and rising living costs have offset much of this progress.
For the poorest 40% of Nigerians, an entry-level smartphone still represents 56% of monthly income, while it accounts for 73% for the poorest 20%, highlighting persistent affordability constraints among vulnerable households.
Despite these challenges, smartphone ownership reached only 27% in Nigeria in 2024, according to the GSMA, leaving significant room for growth.
Data from StatCounter shows that Vivo held a 1.18% market share at the end of March 2026.
The company remains far behind market leader Tecno with 18.72%, followed by Infinix at 16.28%, Samsung at 15.4%, Apple at 14.15%, and Xiaomi at 8.17%.
Other players such as Oppo, Itel, and Huawei also operate in the market.
Nigeria’s foremost payments and financial inclusion dialogue platform, Payments Forum Nigeria (PAFON 3.0), will hold this Friday, April 24, 2026, at the prestigious Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lekki Road, bringing together regulators, fintech leaders, banks, policymakers, agent networks, cybersecurity experts, innovators, and ecosystem stakeholders to shape the future of digital payments in Nigeria.
Payments Forum Nigeria (PAFON 3.0
With the theme: “Fair Digital Payments as a Catalyst for Deepening Financial Inclusion in Nigeria,” PAFON 3.0 comes at a defining moment for the country’s digital economy as stakeholders seek practical pathways to close the inclusion gap, strengthen trust in payment systems, and accelerate access for underserved populations.
Why PAFON 3.0 is Different
“Unlike routine conferences, PAFON is a solutions-driven forum designed to bridge policy conversations with market realities.
“The event uniquely convenes fintech operators, agent banking networks, cooperatives, payment innovators, cybersecurity professionals, and thought leaders under one roof to tackle real challenges affecting Nigerians at the grassroots”, said Peter Oluka, co-convener of Payments Forum Nigeria.
“From digital trust and cybersecurity to agency banking, embedded finance, stablecoins, eNaira, SME growth, and healthcare financing, PAFON 3.0 is positioned as one of the most strategic gatherings in Nigeria’s payments ecosystem this year”, Oluka added.
High-Profile Keynote Speakers Confirmed
This year’s edition will feature a distinguished lineup of keynote speakers and industry leaders, including Prof. Adewale Peter Obadare, chief visionary officer, Digital Encode, and Dr. Jameelah Sherrief-Ayedu, vice president, FintechNGR & CEO, Credit Registry
Other confirmed speakers include, Dennis Ajalie, managing director, TeamApt Ltd.; Mr. Chika Nwosu, managing director, PalmPay Nigeria; Uche Uzoebo, MD/CEO, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities (SANEF Limited): Special Guest of Honour; Chike Onwuegbuchi, Chairman, Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association of Nigeria (NITRA); Mojeed Abayomi Agboola, national president, Financial Inclusion Agents Multipurpose Cooperative Society (FIAMCS); Ibirogba Oluwagunwa, chairman Lagos Chapter, Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN); Sarafadeen Atanda Fasasi, and president, Association of Financial Inclusion Agents of Nigeria (AFIAN).
Fireside Chat on Africa’s Next Innovators
Another standout session will explore the future of digital currencies and regional interoperability: Stablecoins vs. eNaira: Orchestrating a Unified Digital Payment Rail for West Africa
This special fireside chat, hosted in collaboration with Lagos Blockchain Week, promises fresh perspectives on the next phase of Africa’s payment innovation journey.
Chuwuemeka Enoch Mbaebie, Lead convener of LBW will host the session alongside Senator Ihenyen, Lead Partner of Infusion Lawyers and Founding Trustee of the Virtual Asset Service Providers Association (VASPA); Victoria Oluebube Igboanugo, marketing lead, Lagos Blockchain Week; Chidubem Emelumadu, ecosystem lead (Africa), Lisk, and Harrison Obiefule, Nigerian lead for Superteam.
More Activities Lined Up
Attendees will also experience product demo of Myitura Healthcare Financing Solution;
Townhall Meeting on The State of Agency Banking in Nigeria led by AMMBAN; Goodwill messages from leading institutions and industry associations, and strategic networking with decision-makers across banking, fintech, regulation, media, and innovation ecosystems
PAFON 3.0 is expected to attract C-suite executives, startup founders, regulators, investors, digital payment operators, development institutions, policymakers, and professionals seeking to understand where Nigeria’s payment future is heading.
Participation
Participation is free.
The application deadline for the fifth edition of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) has been extended to April 25, 2026, organisers have announced.
MTN Nigeria Media Innovation Programme
The extension offers additional time for qualified media professionals and digital content creators across Nigeria to apply for the fully funded programme aimed at advancing storytelling and media innovation.
The initiative is sponsored by MTN Nigeria in partnership with the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University (PAU).
Organisers said the 2026 cohort would admit 25 fellows, an increase from the previous 20, in line with MTN Nigeria’s 25th anniversary and its continued commitment to strengthening the country’s media ecosystem.
Launched in 2022, the six-month certificate programme provides participants with training in media innovation, leadership and digital transformation.
It features academic sessions at PAU, industry engagements and an international study visit, including sessions at the University of Johannesburg.
According to the organisers, the programme has produced a growing network of alumni contributing to Nigeria’s media landscape through leadership roles, new media ventures and impactful storytelling.
The programme is open to practitioners across print, broadcast, digital and social media, with applicants expected to demonstrate a strong commitment to innovation and professional development.
Interested applicants can submit their entries through the School of Media and Communication website.
Shortlisted candidates will undergo a rigorous selection process, with successful applicants expected to commence the programme in May 2026.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that the initiative is part of broader efforts to equip media professionals with the skills needed to adapt to the evolving digital economy.
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