13 countries and the most community-dense subregion in Africa. Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal lead with active trading, business and local neighborhood groups.
Nigeria
3,978,943
Ghana
855,045
Cameroon
294,631
Mali
4,046,266
Senegal
182,374
Burkina Faso
200,989
Niger
2,830,784
Liberia
90,468
Sierra Leone
29,993
Guinea
121,937
Togo
817,607
Gabon
323,867
Mauritania
68,249
13 countries with rapidly expanding group activity. Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania have built some of the most engaged local communities on the continent.
Ethiopia
2,792,178
Kenya
1,120,667
Tanzania
480,781
Uganda
395,042
Somalia
1,889,718
Zambia
56,662
Mozambique
51,592
Madagascar
65,617
Malawi
11,200
Rwanda
27,187
Zimbabwe
125,809
Congo
146,845
Eritrea
73,650
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.