Samsung has emerged as Africa’s leading smartphone manufacturer by both revenue and unit sales. This marks the first time the company has achieved the milestone since entering the African market in 1995.
Samsung ranked first in Africa’s smartphone market by revenue in the first quarter of 2026 before taking the lead in both revenue and unit sales in the second quarter, according to market research firm TechInsights.
Africa’s overall smartphone sales declined by 16.6% year-on-year in Q2 2026, while Samsung’s unit sales increased by 34.8%.
The company says its growth is partly due to an instalment payment programme that allows customers to purchase smartphones through daily or weekly payments and not pay the full amount upfront.
The programme accounted for 46% of Samsung’s smartphone revenue in Africa this year.
Samsung has also focused on device security, software support and after-sales services. Its Galaxy A series offers up to seven years of operating system and security updates.
Samsung’s growth is extending beyond its entry-level and mid-range devices. Sales of its premium Galaxy S and Galaxy Z series smartphones in Africa rose by 20% year-on-year.
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