Within the final decade, smartphones have remodeled from mere communication instruments into highly effective gateways to the digital world, basically altering how individuals entry info, join with others, and go about each day life. As of 2025, over 6.9 billion individuals globally are estimated to make use of smartphones, a quantity that continues to develop quickly. Alongside this surge, social media platforms have grow to be embedded in on a regular basis routines, with greater than 5.1 billion lively customers worldwide, representing over 62% of the worldwide inhabitants.
GeoPoll, powered by TuuCho; carried out the examine in July twenty second to twenty fifth through GeoPoll’s cell net platform, reaching a complete of three,945 respondents throughout 4 African nations: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda.
This report builds upon the insights introduced within the 2023 Social Media Utilization Developments in Africa, delving deeper into the evolving relationship between smartphone adoption and social media engagement throughout the continent; inspecting rising patterns throughout demographics, areas, and cultural contexts.
At a look
- Smartphones are essentially the most used kind of cell phone with 98% of the respondents
- Searching the web (85%), making voice and video calls (80%) sending textual content messages (79%) are the highest telephone utilization.
- 98% of the respondents use social media.
- WhatsApp, Fb and YouTube are the highest social media platforms.
- Majority of the respondents (35%) spend 3-6hours per day on social media.
- 60% of respondents reported that social media has had a really constructive impression on their total well-being and psychological well being.
- Majority, 80% have ever purchased a product marketed on the assorted social media platforms.
Demographic Overview
The survey gathered responses from a various group of younger Africans from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. Most respondents had been aged 25-34 (48%), with a balanced illustration of males (61%), and females (39%). Respondents had been predominantly from city (66%) and rural (34%) areas.
Cell Cellphone Utilization Insights
When requested about the kind of telephone they use most ceaselessly, an awesome 98% of respondents reported utilizing smartphones, whereas solely 2% indicated they primarily use function telephones. Moreover, 97% of respondents acknowledged that they personally personal
these telephones. This can be a excessive quantity, contemplating that , however contemplating the methodology used – cell net – the viewers is extra prosperous. Based mostly on this technique bias, one might say that 98% of the respondents utilizing cell phones use smartphones.
When it comes to how telephones are used, searching the web emerged as the highest exercise (85%), adopted carefully by making voice and video calls (80%), and sending textual content messages (SMS) (80%). Different frequent makes use of embrace accessing social media platforms (78%), utilizing chat apps corresponding to WhatsApp (74%), and sending or receiving emails (71%).
High Social Media
Between 2023 and 2025, social media utilization in Africa has advanced from platform-specific engagement to near-universal adoption, with 98% of respondents in 2025 reporting lively use. Whereas Fb maintained its dominant place with 82% utilization in each years, WhatsApp surged forward in 2025, turning into the most-used platform at 90%, highlighting a shift towards non-public messaging and real-time communication.
TikTok and Instagram additionally skilled notable progress, rising from 60% to 72% and 54% to 60% respectively, pushed by their visible and interactive content material codecs. In the meantime, Twitter/X remained steady at 49%. Platforms like LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Pinterest confirmed regular will increase, reflecting rising curiosity in skilled networking, ephemeral content material, and inspiration-based media.
WhatsApp and YouTube weren’t lined within the 2023 information assortment
Time spent
The survey reveals how customers allocate their time on social media. The bulk, accounting for 35%, spend between 3 to six hours each day on these platforms. Following carefully, 31% of customers have interaction for 1 to three hours. As well as, 20% of customers report spending 6 to 9 hours on social media, whereas 9% dedicate 9 to 12 hours. A smaller section, round 7%, spends greater than half of their day on social media. This information highlights the numerous period of time many people put money into these on-line interactions.
Social Media Utilization
The overwhelming majority of respondents (95%) primarily entry social media from their telephones, which highlights the dominance of cell units in digital engagement. In distinction, solely a small proportion use tablets (3%) or computer systems (2%), emphasizing how handy and ubiquitous smartphones have grow to be because the go-to system for having fun with social media.
As a part of the broader social media utilization tendencies, WhatsApp stands out not solely as essentially the most extensively used platform but in addition as some of the versatile. The vast majority of respondents (91%) use WhatsApp primarily for private and group messaging, reinforcing its function as a central software for on a regular basis communication. Moreover, 79% of customers share each day moments through standing updates, whereas 78% use it for voice and video calls, showcasing its multifunctional capabilities. Media sharing can be prevalent, with 69% of respondents participating on this exercise, and 64% report utilizing WhatsApp for enterprise functions, corresponding to showcasing product catalogs and interacting with shoppers. These findings spotlight WhatsApp’s important function throughout each private {and professional} spheres within the evolving digital communication panorama.
Fb
Within the context of Fb utilization, the platform continues to function a significant hub for social connection and data. The vast majority of respondents (84%) use Fb to be in contact with family and friends, reaffirming its function as a cornerstone of digital social interplay. Past socializing, 71% of customers depend on the platform to find information and present occasions, highlighting its significance as a supply of data. Fb additionally performs a job in increasing social networks, with 56% utilizing it to make new pals, and 49% becoming a member of teams or communities of curiosity. Different notable actions embrace sharing private updates (47%), networking with professionals (46%), and shopping for or promoting services (39%), underscoring the platform’s various utility that spans private, social, and financial engagement.
YouTube
YouTube stays a number one platform with various use circumstances. About 88% of customers have interaction with it for leisure, primarily watching movies and shorts. Moreover, 87% put it to use for instructional content material like tutorials, whereas 71% flip to it for information and present affairs. Different actions embrace product discovery and evaluations at 60%, and content material creation and sharing at 55%, showcasing its function in each passive and interactive engagement.
TikTok
TikTok continues to thrive as a hub for short-form, participating content material, with 81% of customers watching and sharing movies as their main exercise. It’s also a serious supply of leisure and humor for 74% of respondents, whereas 69% use it to be taught new expertise or hacks, showcasing its rising function in casual schooling. Moreover, 58% flip to TikTok to find new music and tendencies, and 48% have interaction with viral challenges, reflecting the platform’s affect on popular culture and digital creativity.
Instagram stays a extremely visible and trend-driven platform, with 68% of customers utilizing it to share photographs and visible moments. It’s also extensively used for staying up to date with tendencies (65%) and discovering inventive content material (65%), reinforcing its attraction to visually-oriented customers. Moreover, 63% observe influencers or celebrities, and 58% discover hobbies and pursuits, exhibiting Instagram’s function in each inspiration and life-style content material. Social interplay continues to be current, with 48% utilizing it to make new pals, whereas 33% have interaction in shopping for and promoting services, highlighting its rising function in social commerce.
Twitter (X)
Twitter (now X) continues to be a key platform for real-time info and dialog. A dominant 83% of customers depend on it for following information sources and journalists, making it the highest platform for staying knowledgeable. Moreover, 63% use it to take part in discussions and debates, whereas one other 62% join with like-minded people. 59% have interaction by sharing quick updates and ideas, and 55% use it to find viral content material, reflecting Twitter’s dynamic function in shaping public dialogue and trending matters.
LinkedIn stands out as a number one platform for skilled improvement and profession progress. A major 86% of customers put it to use for looking out job alternatives, whereas 83% use it for networking with professionals, emphasizing its function in profession development. Moreover, 69% concentrate on constructing knowledgeable on-line presence, and 56% join with colleagues and friends. Over half (54%) additionally use LinkedIn to share trade insights and articles, highlighting its significance as a hub for information change {and professional} engagement.
Snapchat
Snapchat is extensively used for sharing spontaneous and visible content material, with 67% of customers utilizing it to share fast moments of their day and 65% sending ephemeral photographs and movies to pals. The platform’s distinctive attraction is additional mirrored within the 59% who get pleasure from exploring location-based filters and options. Moreover, 50% observe behind-the-scenes content material from celebrities, whereas 47% use Snapchat to find native occasion content material, emphasizing its localized, real-time, and playful communication model.
Pinterest is a go-to platform for creativity and inspiration, with 84% of customers utilizing it to find and set up inventive concepts. It’s also widespread for vogue and magnificence inspiration (77%) and DIY tasks and crafts (74%), highlighting its attraction to visually pushed, hands-on customers. Moreover, 63% flip to Pinterest for recipes and cooking concepts, whereas 50% use it for planning occasions and gatherings, reinforcing its function as a sensible software for each on a regular basis inspiration and particular events.
Threads
Being utilized by 14% of the respondents; Threads is rising as a platform for real-time dialog and data sharing. A notable 74% of customers observe information sources and journalists, whereas 69% use it to share quick updates and ideas. The platform additionally helps neighborhood engagement, with 65% connecting with like-minded people, 61% discovering viral content material, and one other 61% taking part in discussions and debates. These patterns spotlight Threads’ rising relevance in microblogging, well timed discourse, and neighborhood interplay.
Of the 9% of respondents who use Reddit, the bulk have interaction with the platform to debate particular pursuits or hobbies (72%) and search recommendation and suggestions (71%). A good portion additionally take part in area of interest communities or subreddits (70%), and eat or share in-depth content material (69%), reflecting Reddit’s energy in specialised, long-form discussions. Moreover, 63% use it to interact in debates, whereas 60% browse passively with out lively posting, highlighting a mixture of lively and observational person conduct.
Social media and psychological well being
When requested concerning the impression of social media on their total well-being and psychological well being, the vast majority of respondents reported a constructive expertise. Particularly, 60% described the impression as very constructive, whereas an extra 23% felt it was considerably constructive. 16% remained impartial, suggesting a balanced or blended expertise. Solely a small fraction perceived any hurt, with 2% indicating a considerably unfavorable impression and 1% reporting a really unfavorable impact. Total, the information suggests that almost all customers affiliate their social media use with enhanced well-being and psychological well being.
A world evaluation utilizing nationally consultant information from the 2020 Wellcome International Monitor (amongst residents aged 15+ in 113 nations) discovered that social media use will increase the chance of self‑reported generalized nervousness and melancholy worldwide—together with in low, center, and excessive‑revenue settings
The current examine additionally reveals that greater than half of the respondents (53%) have taken a break from social media in some unspecified time in the future because of its unfavorable impression on their well-being whereas 48% have by no means paused from social media utilization.
Social Media Commercial
When requested whether or not they had ever bought a product marketed on social media, a considerable 80% of respondents answered “sure”, indicating that social media performs a major function in influencing client conduct. Solely 20% stated they’d not made such purchases. This sturdy majority highlights the effectiveness of social media platforms as advertising and e-commerce channels, significantly in shaping shopping for choices via focused advertisements, influencer promotions, and fascinating visible content material.
Methodology/About this Survey
This Unique Survey was powered by GeoPoll’s AI platform; Tuucho run through the GeoPoll cell software and Cell net between the twenty second and twenty fifth July 2025 in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda. The pattern dimension was 3,945, composed of random customers between 18 and 50. For the reason that survey was randomly distributed to an prosperous audiencethe outcomes are barely skewed in direction of youthful respondents.
These insights spotlight not solely the dynamic nature of social media use throughout platforms, but in addition the ability of GeoPoll in uncovering significant, data-driven narratives throughout various populations. Via its sturdy mobile-based survey expertise and attain throughout rising markets, GeoPoll offers quick, dependable, and actionable information that empowers organizations, manufacturers, and researchers to grasp client conduct, digital tendencies, and societal shifts in actual time. As social media continues to evolve, GeoPoll stays on the forefront—bridging the hole between individuals and insights, and enabling smarter choices via deeper viewers understanding.
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