Samsung Electronics ranks 1st in Africa’s smartphone market revenue first half of 2026
Samsung Electronics has emerged as Africa’s leading smartphone brand in terms of sales volume in the second quarter of 2026, recording significant growth despite a general decline in the continent’s smartphone market.
The company’s success is believed to have been driven partly by the introduction of flexible payment arrangements that allow customers to purchase devices through daily or weekly instalments, reflecting the income patterns of consumers in markets where monthly salaries are less common.
According to market research firm TechInsights, Samsung led Africa’s smartphone market in revenue during the first quarter of 2026 before extending its dominance to both revenue and unit sales in the second quarter.
While overall smartphone sales across Africa declined by 16.6 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter, Samsung recorded a 34.8 per cent increase in the number of devices sold.
The company is also projected to maintain its leading position throughout 2026, with an estimated 34.5 per cent share of the market’s total sales value and 38.7 per cent of smartphone units sold.
Despite being the world’s leading smartphone manufacturer, Samsung has faced considerable competition in Africa, where low-cost devices, particularly those priced around US$100, dominate the market.
Its share of smartphone unit sales on the continent stood at 22.4 per cent in 2024 before rising to 26.5 per cent in 2025. The projected 38.7 per cent share for 2026 represents an increase of more than 16 percentage points over two years.
Prioritising long-term reliability over price competition
Africa remains one of the world’s most price-sensitive smartphone markets, with mobile phones serving not only as communication devices but also as digital wallets and banking tools.
According to the GSM Association (GSMA), mobile money transactions in sub-Saharan Africa reached US$1.4 trillion last year, representing approximately two-thirds of the global transaction value. For some adults in the region, mobile money accounts are their only form of financial account.
With mobile phones increasingly used for receiving salaries, purchasing groceries and making instalment payments, mobile money fraud has also become a major cybersecurity concern.
This has made device security particularly important, as protecting smartphones is closely linked to safeguarding users’ financial resources.
Rather than engaging in direct price competition, Samsung has sought to distinguish its products through reliability, durability and long-term security.
Its Galaxy A series, for instance, offers up to seven years of operating system and security updates, alongside Samsung Knox protection.
The company has also expanded its after-sales support network across Africa, establishing 281 service locations in 38 countries.
Flexible payment plans making premium smartphones more accessible
One of the major challenges facing African consumers is the gap between wanting a particular smartphone and being able to afford its upfront cost.
Monthly incomes across the region generally range between US$100 and US$500, while popular Galaxy A series models are priced at approximately US$200.
For many consumers who earn daily or weekly wages, saving enough money to purchase a smartphone through a single upfront payment can be difficult.
Samsung’s flexible payment programme seeks to address this challenge by allowing customers to spread the cost of their devices through smaller daily or weekly instalments.
The initiative has become a significant contributor to the company’s performance, accounting for 46 per cent of its smartphone revenue in Africa this year.
By reducing the initial financial burden on customers, the programme has also helped drive demand for higher-end devices.
Sales of Samsung’s Galaxy S and Galaxy Z series smartphones across Africa consequently increased by 20 per cent year-on-year in 2026.
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