Male gender records highest purchase of mobile phone in 2017

The male gender, recorded the highest buyers of mobile phones in 2017, data from an annual mobile report by Jumia, one of Nigeria’s biggest e-commerce sellers in the country shows.

According to the report, males accounted for 63 percent of the total number of mobile phones that was sold in the country, under the period under review while female purchases accounted for about 37 percent of phones sold.

“It is not surprising that there were more male than female mobile phone shoppers in 2017” says Juliet Anammah CEO, Jumia Nigeria said.

In many low and middle-income markets like Nigeria & Africa, male mobile ownership is approaching saturation, particularly in urban areas.

“This means that women represent the vast majority of the untapped mobile market. Even among mobile owners, there is a gender gap in usage that widens for more transformational, typically higher revenue services, especially mobile internet,”

“There is a commercial opportunity for closing the gender gap. The mobile phones category still remains the highest selling category on Jumia” Anammah said.

The number of mobile subscribers grew astronomically in 2017 and its penetration increased to 84 percent in comparison with 53 percent in 2016. The availability of lower price points’ phones has paved way for more Nigerians to own mobile phones.

With an increase in the number of affordable phones entering the Nigerian market and looking at the trajectory of growth between 2016 & 2017 (31 percent growth year-on-year), there is a strong indication that by the end of 2018, there might be a 100 percent penetration of mobile subscriptions.

The report also revealed that Lagos state took the lead by accounting for 25 percent of the Number of mobile devices that was sold in the country last year, Abuja coming in second accounting for 10 percent followed by Edo with 7 percent, and the rest of the states added together, accounted for 58 percent of the sales made.

“Increasing disposable income is responsible for increase in smartphone adoption,” Anammah concluded.

Meanwhile, a UK media investigation has blamed the rise in phone theft in the country to Nigeria.

According to the report which was published on Tuesday, revealed popular computer village in Ikeja, as being the receiving market where the UK stolen phones are sold.

“Between June 2016 and 2017, UK Metropolitan police reportedly recorded 16,158 phone crimes related to mopeds, three times more than the previous year’s record,” the report revealed.

Explaining further the report added that most which were sold in bulk to middle men was latter ship to eastern Europe to be stripped of private information and reconditioned before they are then moved on for sale — with Nigeria, Algeria and India the main markets targets.

At the popular Lagos market for phones and computers, the report says iPhones are on sale for £560 a price which is £310 cheaper than the authorised price.

However, Computer Village phone traders reportedly questioned during the investigation insisted their merchandise was from reputable sources.

A seller at Emeka Michael EB International Shop was quoted to have said: “Most of our phones are London used.”

The report further claims that the stolen phones business is booming in Nigeria because the Nigerian government has not signed up to a deal prohibiting the sales of stolen phones across the world.

“Countries across Europe, the US and South America have signed a deal to effectively blacklist stolen devices which gives each phone a unique number which is added to a global database when it is reported stolen — making it useless in those nations who are part of the agreement.

“But Nigeria is yet to sign up. And a mobile industry source said: “By staying off the blacklist they are creating the market for stolen mobile phones.

If all nations stood together, a mobile would be useless once reported stolen. But countries like Nigeria are effectively inviting illicit imports.

“A combination of corrupt officials, unscrupulous businesses and a booming demand for Western technology makes Nigeria an ideal place for handlers to send stolen handsets.”

Reacting to the report, a Lagos police spokesman was quoted to have said: “I am not aware that stolen phones from the UK end up in Lagos. If there is a complaint about a stolen phone in Lagos we shall investigate it.”

MICHEAL ANI and DAVID IBEMERE