African Smartphone Penetration to Reach 40 Per cent by 2017

The African smartphone market will hit a peak of 40 per cent by 2017 after achieving a 15 per cent high in 2014. This was revealed by M&C Saatchi Mobile which released its research paper on the growth of the continent’s mobile growth.

The report also demystified some of the myths related to the mobile sector in the continent. Some of the myths include:

1. Africa remains an underdeveloped continent
2. Africans are less technologically advanced than other nations
3. Smartphones are not popular within Africa
4. Mobile advertising is not applicable within Africa
5. Africa is too diverse, meaning it is difficult to target consumers

Africa’s mobile environment is the fastest growing in the world and smartphones are lined up to take up a good market share. The price of entry level smartphones is going lower by the day and this has meant that more users can access faster internet connections on their mobile phone.

The research from M&C Saatchi mobile also reveals that these developments could mean a lot for the mobile advertising sector.

“The rise in middle class consumers and the completion of submarine cables has allowed for the heavy adoption of mobile devices. Yet mobile has also aided Africa’s growth. M-Pesa now contributes significantly in terms of GDP within Kenya, and consumers are now using mobile devices to educate and receive both news and SMS messages,” the report said.

“From our own experience, we have seen the impact mobile is having on African society. It is a gateway which allows consumers to connect on a global level via the Internet. Mobile is also replacing traditional forms of infrastructure, particularly within the banking sector – the need for a traditional bank account has been bypassed, with consumers now undertaking transactions through mobile financial services,” James Hilton the global CEO said.

This report can be found here