Nairobi – Recently released figures from IDC Global Quarterly Cell Phone Tracking shows that Africa’s smartphone market saw shipments grow by 12.5% year-on-year (y-o-y) in Q4 2023, reaching a total of 19.8 million units. Smartphone markets across Africa performed well as Chinese brands focused on the region amid a period of high inflation, local currency devaluations and foreign exchange shortages. In contrast, Africa’s feature phone market saw shipments decline by 7.8% over the same period to a total of 20.9 million units.
“Kenya recorded the region’s highest year-on-year growth in smartphone shipments in Q4 2023, coming off a low base when market dominant brands cut shipments in Q4 2022 in an effort to manage high stock levels,” says George Mbuthia, a senior official. research analyst at IDC. “Local assembly initiatives for low-cost smartphones (under $200) also contributed to the strong growth seen in Kenya. In addition, mobile phone financing programs enabled consumers to acquire new smartphones by allowing payment installments over a long period of time.”
Nigeria overcame market volatility and a significant currency devaluation to record Africa’s second-highest growth rate thanks to a strong push from Chinese brands. South Africa recorded a year-on-year decline due to the difficult economic environment and partly due to delays in shipments at the country’s ports.
Transsion brands (Tecno, Itel, Infinix) continued to dominate Africa’s smartphone market with their ultra-low-end (under $100) devices, which were more marketable to a consumer base challenged by low purchasing power due to reduced income and the increasing exchange rate of the dollar. Samsung and Xiaomi followed the Transsion brands in second and third place, respectively.
Ultra-low-cost (under $100) smartphone shipments in the region grew 5.2% year-on-year in Q4 2023, while shipments of low-end ($100<$200) and mid-range ($200<$400) devices grew 18, 9% and 16.6%. respectively, indicating a strong demand for budget-friendly smartphones.
Looking ahead, IDC predicts annual growth in smartphone shipments of 2.8% to 2024. “Handset refresh cycles have slowed as smartphones have better capabilities, increased longevity and are more durable,” says Ramazan Yavuz, senior director of research at IDC. “However, in Africa, the shift away from feature phones will support smartphone growth in the short to medium term, while AI phones and 5G adoption will fuel Africa’s smartphone growth in the long term.”
For more information, contact Sheila Manek at smanek@idc.com or +971 4 446 3154.
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