Mobile devices and distribution channels in Sub-Saharan Africa: consumer survey

This report provides an analysis of the trends in device adoption among smartphone users in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It uses consumer survey data to assess the distribution channels, spend and replacement cycles for handsets. The report also assesses consumer adoption and operators’ smart device offerings (such as games consoles and smart watches).

This report provides:

• insight into operators’ performance as smartphone sales channels, and how their performance relates to consumers’ choice of tariffs
• an analysis of consumers’ choice of, and spend, on handsets
• an assessment of the adoption of smart devices and the opportunities for operators to generate new revenue streams.

Survey data coverage

The research was conducted between September and October 2021. The survey groups were chosen to be representative of the mobile-internet-using population in the region. We set quotas on age, gender and geographical spread to that effect. There were at least 750 respondents per country, and 2250 respondents in the region.

Geographical coverage

• Kenya
• Nigeria
• South Africa