In the third quarter of 2023, there was a noted increase in demand for Chinese-made smartphones in Nigeria. The Middle East and African region also experienced an uptick with smartphone shipments rising by 23 percent year-on-year.

Research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor Service disclosed these findings. The data further indicates an 11 percent quarter-on-quarter rise in smartphone shipments for Q3.

Higher demand for Tecno smartphones, particularly in Nigeria and other African countries, drove part of this growth, as stated in the report. In the same period, significant improvements were recorded in critical macroeconomic figures, like unemployment and inflation rates, bolstering consumer sentiment.

The firm reported that smartphones comprised 61 percent of total handset shipments during Q3 2023. According to Research Analyst Ravyansh Yadav, the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region witnessed the fastest growth among all regions, further accelerating from its Q2 2023 momentum.

Yadav noted that the MEA region possesses substantial untapped market potential due to its swift digitalisation and burgeoning service economy. As observed in the developed markets of North America, Europe, and East Asia a decade ago, smartphones are gradually becoming essential in the MEA region.

Tecno was one of the key winners in Q3, thanks to its recent releases like the Spark 10, Pop 7, and Camon 20 series. These models garnered strong demand in Nigeria and other key African countries, establishing a foothold for Tecno’s growth.

Furthermore, Senior Analyst Yang Wang pointed out the notable trend in the MEA smartphone market's price structure. Consumers are now attractively positioned for better quality devices due to increased affordability, courtesy of rising financing options. This resulted in a 13% YoY increase in the wholesale average selling price of smartphones in the MEA region, with price bands above $200 seeing an increase in their share.