Stability appears to be gradually returning to the smartphone sub-sector as Nigeria registered a massive 29 per cent year-on-year surge in shipments in the third quarter of 2025 (Q3 2025).
    
Technology market analyst firm, Omdia, which revealed this in a new report, noted that the turnaround is coming for Nigeria, after a challenging period of currency volatility in 2024.
 
The Nigerian market’s performance significantly contributed to Africa’s overall 24 per cent growth in smartphone shipments, which ended five quarters of decline across the continent. Globally, the smartphone market saw a modest three per cent growth, positioning Nigeria’s recovery as a key driver for emerging markets.
   
According to the Omdia report, the primary catalyst for Nigeria’s exceptional growth was the stabilisation of the Naira. Following a sharp currency decline in 2024 that caused device prices to skyrocket and shipments to slow drastically, the relative steadiness of the local currency in 2025 provided the predictability needed for both vendors and consumers.
     
Omdia observed that vendor strategy and affordable boom significantly moved things around for the market. Specifically, it noted that with the reduced risk from currency swings, vendors immediately accelerated imports, heavily focusing on affordable devices.
   
It noted that the sub-$100 segment experienced an astronomical 57 per cent growth, driven by a refreshed portfolio of entry-level models. This strategic focus by brands like Transsion (TECNO, Infinix, itel) spurred a major upgrade cycle among Nigeria’s large, youthful, and price-sensitive consumer base.
  
The report noted that Nigeria’s Q3 2025 growth was notable for its strength at both ends of the price spectrum, illustrating a resilient, two-layered market dynamic. This includes the premium segment (above $500), which also showed impressive resilience, growing by 52 per cent. This indicated that while the mass market is driven by affordability and first-time smartphone adoption, affluent Nigerian consumers continue to engage in luxury and high-end purchases, driving revenue for brands like Apple and Samsung.
   
Omdia noted that the Nigerian surge helped the wider African market achieve a strong 24 per cent year-on-year growth, signalling a continent-wide recovery in most key markets, with only Algeria showing minor growth.
   
In contrast, the Middle East market, which also experienced strong growth in 2025, faced a slower outlook. Omdia projected the Middle East market growth to slow significantly to one per cent in 2026, primarily due to mounting component costs and supply constraints.
    
Despite these global supply challenges, the report notes that the mid-to-premium segment is expected to remain resilient worldwide, with upgrades continuing to be driven by major players. For the Middle East, vendor HONOR demonstrated strong growth (128 per cent), while global giant Apple returned to double-digit growth (14 per cent), reflecting the global consumer’s willingness to invest in premium devices despite economic headwinds.
   
In sum, Q3 2025 has cemented Nigeria’s role as a critical growth engine for the African and, indeed, global smartphone market, proving the powerful impact of currency stability on consumer technology adoption in emerging economies.