13 countries and the most community-dense subregion in Africa. Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal lead with active trading, business and local neighborhood groups.
Nigeria
3,978,418
Ghana
854,317
Cameroon
294,940
Mali
4,044,501
Senegal
182,747
Burkina Faso
200,732
Niger
2,829,838
Liberia
90,472
Sierra Leone
29,940
Guinea
121,735
Togo
820,868
Gabon
322,265
Mauritania
68,388
13 countries with rapidly expanding group activity. Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania have built some of the most engaged local communities on the continent.
Ethiopia
2,795,258
Kenya
1,119,069
Tanzania
480,769
Uganda
394,741
Somalia
1,887,905
Zambia
56,535
Mozambique
51,553
Madagascar
65,779
Malawi
11,211
Rwanda
27,174
Zimbabwe
125,793
Congo
146,928
Eritrea
73,629
4 countries where Arabic and French-speaking communities coexist. Local city chats, student groups and interest communities are the dominant formats.
5 countries with an emerging but steadily growing group landscape. Expat communities, business chats and local interest groups lead the activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Telegram popular in Africa?
Telegram is growing fast across Africa — the EMEA region recorded 15.21% annual download growth, with Sub-Saharan Africa as a major driver. Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia are the most active markets, where Telegram groups are used for business networking, crypto and community news.
Which African countries use Telegram groups the most?
Nigeria and Ghana lead West Africa, while Kenya and Ethiopia dominate East Africa. South Africa has around 19.7% population penetration. Across the continent, Telegram groups are particularly popular for P2P business deals, diaspora communities and financial topics.
What are Telegram groups used for in Africa?
Business networking, cryptocurrency trading, local news and diaspora communities are the main use cases. Telegram's ability to handle large groups and heavy file sharing at low data cost makes it well-suited to African mobile internet conditions.