| Nigeria’s smartphone market grew 2.0% in unit terms quarter on quarter (QoQ) in Q2 2021, according to the latest figures from global technology and consulting services firm International Data Corporation (IDC).
However, the firm’s Quarterly Global Mobile Phone Tracker also shows that feature phone shipments into the country declined 6.4% over the same period. Feature phones accounted for 51.8% of the market’s overall shipments in Q2 2021, with smartphones responsible for the remaining 48.2% share.
The smartphone market’s growth in Q2 2021 was spurred by vendors launching various new models, increasing their investments in marketing activities, and shifting their product portfolios towards entry-level and mid-range devices.
Transsion’s Tecno, Itel, and Infinix brands dominated the country’s smartphone market in Q2 2021 with 76.9% unit share. Samsung placed second with 10.0% share, while Nokia and Xiaomi followed with respective shares of 3.7% and 2.9%.
With many consumers continuing to prefer physical stalls, smartphones sales through offline retail channels grew 1.7% QoQ in Q1 2021. However, smartphone sales through online channels grew 7.8% over the same period as e-tailers in the country improved their delivery capabilities, facilitated secure payments, and capitalized on improved consumer confidence.
Feature phones continue to be the preferred secondary device in the Nigerian market, mainly due to slow infrastructure development and the country experiencing constant power outages.
The major players in the feature phone space in Q2 2021 were Tecno with 45.8% unit share, Itel (35.1%), and Nokia (12.7%). Feature phone shipments declined as the devices now face stiff competition from ultra-low-end smartphones in the <$100 price segment, whose affordability makes them more attractive to consumers.
The transition from feature phones to smartphones is also accelerating as a result of more consumers demanding access to the Internet.
Figure 1: Nigeria Smartphone Market by Price Band Share (Units) |
