Since the telecommunications sector was deregulated, a number of phone brands have made entry into the Nigerian market. Today, there is hardly a household without a phone. As the sector continues to expand, the Nigerian consumers keep demanding for better quality phones at affordable prices. This explains why Nigeria is the biggest mobile phone market in Africa. With a demographics dominated by youthful population, mobile phone manufacturers and vendors are constantly in need of the real market data which clearly defines the trends and dynamism in the Nigerian mobile phone market.
While there are different kinds of phones, the interest of BusinessDay Research and Intelligence Unit (BRIU) was on the smartphones market in Nigeria, owing to its uniqueness and particularly for the fact that smartphones are the most preferred among the budding middle class.
It is worthy to note that mobile phones, particularly the smartphones that have become our inseparable companions today, are relatively new. Nowadays, business is next to impossible without a smartphones. Starting from aviation industry to service sector, the mobile phones are playing important and vital roles. The use of a mobile phone is no longer limited to audio calls alone as it is being used in making video calls, on-line chatting, recording information, and transmitting it to other phones.
Today, a Bluetooth protocol of mobile phone is being used to develop a generic and real time Internet telemedicine aid system, which uses very high radio frequency to heal patients.
The mobile industry plays an increasingly important role in the socio-economic development of a country. Increasingly, mobile connectivity has become the main platform for innovation and the driving force for greater inclusion, while the mobile ecosystem – which includes mobile network operators and device vendors – contributes significantly to the economic growth and job creation. Africa boasts of a mobile subscription base of 1.04 billion, representing 82 percent of its total population. The mobile economy currently contributes 7.7 percent to the African GDP, worth $110 billion in economic value.
Key findings from smartphones brand preference survey
A survey carried out by the BusinessDay Research and Intelligence Unit (BRIU) in September 2018 to investigate customers’ choice and ratings of smartphone brands in Nigeria showed that some smartphones like Injoo, Blackberry and Itel may go into extinction in Nigeria in few years to come. The purpose of the survey was to gain insights into Nigeria’s dynamic smartphones market as new affordable phones are being shipped into the country.
The survey sought to find out the correlation between the demand for and choice of these new smartphones over those that were hitherto market leaders.
On the respondents’ demographics, 55.8 per cent are male while 44.2 per cent are female. Also, 68.3 per cent of these respondents are aged from 20 to 30 years; 28.8 per cent are within 31 to 40 years; 1 per cent aged from 41 to 50 years while 1.9 per cent of the respondents are 51 years and above.
Analysing the income levels of the respondents, the survey indicated that 24.2 per cent of the respondents earned between 20 and 50 thousand naira monthly. Dependants and those with the income between 81 and 100 thousand naira monthly each made up 18.2 per cent of the respondents. Also, 14.1 per cent earned between 51 and 80 thousand naira, 12.1 percent earned between 101 and 200 thousand naira while 13.1 per cent earn 201 thousand naira and above monthly.
Which are the most used smartphone brands?
The survey showed that 31.7 per cent of the respondents used Samsung, 26 per cent of the respondents used infinix, 19.2 per cent used Tecno while 12.5 percent used iPhone. Also 7.7 percent of these respondents used Nokia, 4.8 per cent went for Itel, 3.9 per cent opted for Gionee, 2.9 percent used Sony, 1.9 per cent of the respondents each used Leagoo and HTC. In addition, 1 per cent of the respondents each used Blackberry, Fero, Letv and Xiaomi. None of the respondents indicated that they used of Injoo and LG.
Why people purchase particular brands of smartphones
From the analysis carried out, BRIU discovered that 44.1 per cent of those who responded to the survey purchased some particular brand(s) of phone because of performance, 16.7 per cent each because of the durability and price, 15.7 per cent indicated that they bought their brands because they were used to it and 6.9 percent because of the brand’s popularity.
As the factors influencing the preference of smartphone users were at the core of the survey, the question was asked in another perspective to be sure of the consistency of the responses from the respondents. When asked what factors phone users consider when buying a smartphone, 62.1 percent indicated that battery was pertinent when purchasing a smartphone, 55.3 per cent chose the quality of the smartphone, 54.4 per cent would only buy a phone with very good camera, 48.5 per cent were influenced by the storage capacity; 21.4 per cent would check the memory capacity, 10.7 per cent would consider the size of the phone whether short, long big or slim; 9.7 percent of the respondents would consider the price of the phone and the remaining 8.7 per cent would consider the quality of the screen display.
Does brand name influence your decision when buying a smartphone?
According the survey, 78.8 per cent of the respondents based their purchase decisions of phones on the brand name while 21.2 percent indicated that brand name was not a determinant to make a purchase.
Which are the best brands?
From the analysis of the responses elicited from this survey, 49 percent of the respondents rated Samsung as the best, followed by iPhone, 25.54 per cent Tecno and Infinix, 8.8 percent each; Nokia, 3.9 per cent, and 1 per cent of the respondents rated Leagoo, Fero and Huawei. However, 1 percent did not rate any phone as the best.
Lowly rated brands?
The survey showed that 36.8 per cent of the respondents does not like Injoo, 21.8 per cent do not like Blackberry, 14.9 percent are not favourably disposed to Itel, 10.3 per cent of the respondents do not like Tecno, 5.6 percent of the respondents made no choice, 2.3 per cent each do not like Sony and LG while 1 percent of the respondents do not prefer Alcaltel, Infinix, Samsung and iPhone each. In other words, Injoo, Blackberry and itel require urgen transformations to survive in the nation’s mobile phones market.
Why people change their phones
The survey was able to deduce why people changed their phones. Based on our findings, 37.3 percent change their phones only when the phones are ruined; 27.5 per cent when they are bored of it; 18.6 percent would upgrade into newer versions when available and 16.7 percent would make a change in the case of loss or theft.
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