Despite an overall smartphone sales slump in the African market, Samsung Electronics recorded an increase in revenue and unit sales in the first half of this year.
Market research firm TechInsights reveals Samsung ranked first in revenue in Africa’s smartphone market in the first quarter. The South Korean electronics giant also ranked first in revenue and unit sales in the second quarter.
This marks a first for the company since entering the region in 1995, according to a TechInsights statement.
A key factor has been the introduction of a flexible payment option that lets customers pay for devices in daily or weekly amounts, where ultra-low-priced products around $100 dominate.
The customised daily and weekly instalment model in Africa accounts for 46% of revenue sales of Galaxy S and Z series, it states. Sales in this series range rose 20% year-on-year (YOY) in Africa this year.
“While total smartphone sales in the African market fell 16.6% YOY in the second quarter, Samsung’s unit sales surged 34.8%,” reveals TechInsights data.
“On an annual basis, Samsung is also expected to rank first in revenue and unit sales, with a 34.5% share of sales value and a 38.7% share of unit volume.”
Across the globe, smartphone sales have failed to rebound in 2026, amid memory supply constraints and rising smartphone prices that weigh on consumer demand.
According to Omdia, global smartphone shipments fell 20% YOY to 254.7 million units in the third quarter (Q3) of this year. This is the lowest Q3 total since 2013.
Even with subdued shipments, Samsung retained its position as the world’s largest smartphone vendor, shipping 57.8 million units. This, however, was down 5% YOY.
Omdia notes that Samsung’s entry- and mid-range Galaxy A series helped it remain competitive as rival Android brands faced memory supply constraints and higher prices.
“This supported Samsung’s shipment volumes and global market leadership. The August launch of the Galaxy Z8 series, supported by trade-in and upgrade programmes, strengthened its position in the premium segment.”
On emerging markets, Omdia principal analyst Sanyam Chaurasia explains that they face the sharpest downturn as affordability pressures intensify.
“Emerging markets, once the backbone of global smartphone volume growth, are now facing the greatest pressure from rising prices,” states Chaurasia. “Africa recorded the steepest contraction at 39% YOY, as rising costs shifted vendors' focus from aggressive expansion and market share gains toward margin protection and selective shipments, despite underlying demand.”
Despite these headwinds, Samsung’s 2026 full-year forecast are projected to reach 38.7%, representing an increase of more than 16 percentage points in two years.
The company’s smartphone unit sales in Africa reached 22.4% and 26.5% in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
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