The African smartphone market recorded its eighth consecutive quarter of growth, with shipments rising 6% year-on-year in Q1 2025 to reach 19.4 million units.
However, growth is expected to remain modest through the end of the year. According to analyst firm Canalys, the market benefited from vendors prioritising wide market coverage.
This was supported by improved macroeconomic conditions in key countries, stabilising currencies, and refreshed product offerings in the entry-level segment.
Country highlights
Egypt stood out with a 34% year-on-year surge in smartphone shipments, driven by government efforts to promote legal import channels and curb the grey market. The country’s macroeconomic stability and a push for local manufacturing also contributed to lower device costs and stronger demand.
Algeria also posted solid growth of 16%, thanks to a combination of government policies, telecom infrastructure improvements, and rising consumer demand.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa led regional growth with a 14% increase in shipments. This was fuelled by supportive government initiatives, including the removal of a 9% luxury excise tax on smartphones priced below ZAR 2,500 (US$137) and the phasing out of legacy 2G and 3G networks to accelerate 4G and 5G adoption.
In contrast, Nigeria – the continent’s most populous country – saw a 7% decline in smartphone shipments due to ongoing economic pressures that have shifted consumer spending toward essential goods.
Vendor performance
Transsion remained the market leader with 9 million units shipped in Q1, down from 9.5 million in the same period last year. Despite the decline, the company held a dominant 52% share of the market.
Samsung secured second place with 4 million units shipped, a 7% increase from 3.8 million a year ago, accounting for 21% market share.
Xiaomi ranked third with an impressive 32% year-on-year growth, shipping 2.6 million units compared to 1.9 million in Q1 2024, and claiming a 13% share.
Oppo came in fourth with 700,000 units shipped, up from 600,000 last year. Honor, meanwhile, posted the highest growth rate – 283% increase – rising from 200,000 units to 700,000.
Other vendors collectively accounted for 2.4 million units of the total 19.4 million smartphones shipped.
Canalys Principal Analyst Manish Pravinkumar forecast that Africa’s smartphone market will grow a modest 3% in 2025, citing “persistent challenges” including slow infrastructure rollout, rising sovereign debt, and ongoing macroeconomic instability.
