Analyst house Canalys reported smartphone shipments across Africa increased 12 per cent year-on-year in Q3 despite a raft of obstacles in several markets including import restrictions, volatile currencies and general economic issues.
Shipments for the quarter were 17.9 million across the continent with Tecno Mobile parent Transsion holding a 48 per cent market share.
Canalys senior consultant Manish Pravinkumar said the region had demonstrated “strong resilience in demand and supply amid macroeconomic challenges,” pointing to large increases in South Africa despite rapid currency devaluation along with substantial growth in Nigeria and Egypt. The latter had previously been hampered by import restrictions, he added.
Moving forward, the analyst predicted “limited expansion” and single-digit growth next year with challenges set to include further currency issues “increased import taxes, and government initiatives promoting local production, potentially leading to cost and price hikes”.
The availability of device financing schemes from operators and channel partners could significantly enhance accessibility and boost adoption rate
Manish Pravinkumar Canalys senior consultant
“Nevertheless, the availability of device financing schemes from operators and channel partners could significantly enhance accessibility and boost adoption rates,” he added.
Entry-level boost
In terms of vendors, Transsion, which owns Infinix and iTel alongside Tecno, was reported to have benefitted from expanding its footprint and focusing on devices priced at below $100. The company retained its position at the top of the sales rankings with a 9 per cent year-on-year rise to 8.6 million units.
Samsung suffered a 13 per cent year-on-year drop but stayed in second place with 4.6 million. Here the smartphone giant’s A-Series was credited with driving volume. Xiaomi, Oppo and Realme respectively completed the top five.
Pravinkumar noted Africa’s market leader had boosted sales by use of device financing, while also advocating for a higher average selling price.
Elsewhere Honor (which was outside of the top five) and Xiaomi were credited with “making significant impacts by introducing diverse products at accessible price points”.
“Africa’s smartphone market narrative unfolds as a compelling story of overcoming challenges with resilience and capitalising on opportunities through strategic partnerships, channel dynamics, and a transforming consumer landscape,” he added. “As the market evolves, vendors must navigate these complexities with agility and foresight to secure a pivotal position in this burgeoning market.”
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