When discussing “smartphone service” in Nigeria, it’s important to It leads in mobile distinguish between smartphone manufacturers (the companies that make the phones) and mobile network operators (the companies that provide the cellular service like calls, SMS, and data).
Based on recent market insights for oman phone number list Nigeria (primarily from Q1 2025 and 2024 data):
1. Leading Smartphone Manufacturers (who makes the phones):
The TRANSSION Holdings group, which includes updating phone records automaticallybrands like Tecno, Infinix, and iTel, is the undisputed leader in the Nigerian smartphone market by a significant margin.
Tecno often holds the individual top spot, followed very closely by Infinix.
Collectively, Transsion brands dominate over 50% (and sometimes even over 60%) of the total mobile phone market in Nigeria. Their success is attributed to:
Affordability: Offering budget-friendly smartphones with competitive features.
Localisation: Tailoring devices to African consumer needs, including optimizing cameras for darker skin tones, providing long-lasting battery life (crucial with inconsistent power supply), and integrating dual-SIM capabilities.
Extensive Distribution: Strong offline retail and service networks, reaching both urban and rural areas.
Following Transsion’s brands, other significant players include:
Samsung: The leading non-Chinese brand, holding a substantial market share across various price segments.
Apple: While its market share by volume is smaller due to premium pricing, it dominates the high-end and ultra-premium segments.
Xiaomi: A strong contender, particularly in the entry-level segment, and gaining ground.
OPPO and Vivo: Other Chinese brands with growing presence.
2. Leading Mobile Network Operators (who provides the cellular service):
These are the companies you buy your SIM card and data plans from.
MTN Nigeria: Consistently holds the top position in the Nigerian telecom market.
It boasts the largest subscriber base (over 85 million subscribers as of Q4 2023).
MTN is known for its extensive network coverage, including the widest 4G coverage across Nigeria, and was the first to roll out 5G services in the country.
Following MTN, the other major operators are:
Airtel Nigeria: A strong competitor with powder data a significant subscriber base (over 57 million subscribers). It also offers competitive voice and data packages and has good 4G coverage, often considered faster in some areas.
Globacom (Glo): A wholly indigenous Nigerian Telco, known for its extensive fiber-optic network and often competitive data plans, with over 54 million subscribers.
9mobile: A smaller but still significant player, serving a niche market.
Therefore, when we talk about “smartphone service” in Nigeria:
The leading companies whose smartphones are most used are Tecno and Infinix (under Transsion Holdings).
The leading company providing the cellular network service that these smartphones connect to is MTN Nigeria.