As our new Middle East & Africa Region Report demonstrates, the digital lives of internet users in this region revolve around smartphones. This is particularly apparent when we see that 3 in 10 digital consumers here are truly mobile-only.
While the clear majority across the region remain multi-device users, it’s 27% who say they only own a smartphone and don’t go online on any other device. Nigeria leads the way here, with 40% now mobile-only in this country, but even where the figures are lowest, in South Africa, it’s 1 in 10 that are completely reliant on their mobile.
All this means that the Middle East & Africa presents a special case for brands and marketers. In all other regions, widespread multi-device usage means that although a mobile-first strategy is certainly key, all devices need to be taken into account. But MEA is a region where we can truly talk about mobile-only strategies that can be impactful. And with the increasing affordability and functionality of smartphones meaning that we are unlikely to see ownership rates of other devices in MEA rise in the future, it’s clear that the smartphone must be at the forefront of any discussions of digital strategy in MEA.
For more detail on the digital consumers of MEA, clients can download our new Middle East & Africa Region Report here.
