Samsung has taken the lead in Africa’s smartphone market by revenue for the first half of 2026, with daily and weekly instalment payments helping it reach customers who would otherwise struggle to afford its devices.
According to market research firm TechInsights, Samsung ranked first in smartphone revenue in the first quarter and retained the position in the second quarter. Its unit sales increased by 34.8% year on year in the second quarter, even as the overall African smartphone market contracted by 16.6%, according to the research cited by Samsung.
The company says it is the first time it has achieved the revenue lead since entering the African market in 1995.
The results suggest that the way smartphones are financed can be as important as their price, especially in markets where many consumers receive daily or weekly wages.
Samsung has introduced payment programmes that allow customers to spread the cost of a device over smaller, more frequent instalments. These programmes accounted for 46% of its African smartphone revenue during 2026, excluding South Africa.
The model addresses a significant obstacle to smartphone ownership. Entry-level devices costing around $100 dominate many African markets, while Samsung’s mainstream Galaxy A smartphones can cost approximately $200. Paying the full amount upfront can put these devices beyond the reach of consumers whose income arrives in small, irregular amounts.
By reducing the initial payment required, Samsung has expanded access to smartphones that would otherwise require months of saving. The company has worked with financing providers and mobile operators, including M-KOPA and Watu, to support instalment purchases in African markets.
The approach has also helped boost sales of more expensive devices. Samsung says sales of its Galaxy S and foldable Galaxy Z series increased by 20% year on year across Africa.
Security becomes a selling point
Beyond affordability, Samsung is placing greater emphasis on device security and longevity in a region where smartphones increasingly serve as financial tools.
According to the GSMA’s State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money 2026, mobile money transactions in sub-Saharan Africa reached $1.4-trillion in 2025, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the global transaction value.
For many consumers, their smartphone provides access to their primary financial account, making device security an important consideration when choosing a handset.
Samsung is promoting the security features of its Galaxy A range, including Samsung Knox, which provides hardware- and software-based protection. Selected models also offer up to seven years of operating system and security updates, extending their useful life.
The company has expanded its service network to 281 locations across 38 African countries, strengthening after-sales support for customers who may be paying off a device over an extended period.
Longer software support could also improve the economics of smartphone ownership. A device that remains secure and usable for several years can offer better long-term value than a cheaper alternative requiring earlier replacement.
A competitive market
TechInsights forecasts that Samsung could finish 2026 with 34.5% of Africa’s smartphone revenue and 38.7% of unit sales, although these remain projections based on data available in August. Its reported unit market share increased from 22.4% in 2024 to 26.5% in 2025, with the 2026 forecast pointing to further gains.
However, other research paints a different picture of the competitive landscape. Omdia’s second-quarter 2026 figures placed China’s Transsion, owner of Tecno, Infinix and itel, firmly ahead in shipment volumes, with a 47% share compared with Samsung’s 22%. Omdia also measured Samsung’s shipment growth at 15%, considerably below the 34.8% reported by TechInsights.
The differences underline the importance of the research provider and methodology when assessing market leadership. Samsung’s revenue performance and its claimed unit-sales lead should therefore be distinguished from the separate findings published by Omdia.
Omdia also found that smartphone shipments across Africa declined by 7% in the second quarter, with the biggest pressure falling on devices priced below $100. Rising component costs have made the cheapest smartphones increasingly difficult to produce profitably.
South Africa, meanwhile, recorded 17% shipment growth during the quarter, according to Omdia, contrasting with the broader continental decline.
* Ndaba Bika is writer and contributor for Gadget.