Following the recent AFMSAMA event in Johannesburg, one message was clear: South Africa is no longer just a regional player in the app economy, it’s emerging as a testbed for high-value, high-retention growth strategies across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).The latest AppsFlyer “State of App Marketing in SSA – 2025” report reinforces this view, showing that despite budget pressures, South Africa’s app market is expanding in both scale and sophistication.
South Africa in Context: A Market Moving Up the Value Chain
South Africa is currently experiencing strong double-digit growth in app installs, with Android projected to rise 14% and iOS an astonishing 68% this year. The surge in iOS adoption is largely fueled by the influx of refurbished devices, which is making premium app experiences more accessible to a broader segment of users.
While neighboring markets like Kenya and Nigeria lead in pure install velocity, South Africa’s story is one of value concentration– higher spending power, stronger in-app purchase (IAP) potential, and a more competitive environment for quality users.
Vertical Deep Dives: Finance and Shopping Lead the Charge
In finance, South Africa continues to be a fintech powerhouse, driven by innovations in digital banking, payment rails, and mobile-first financial services. Remarketing spend in finance apps has surged nearly 97% year-over-year, reflecting a decisive shift toward lifetime value (LTV)-driven growth rather than one-off acquisition bursts.
Complimenting the rise in digital payments are Shopping apps that are riding a wave of e-commerce adoption. iOS installs in this category are expected to climb 89%, far outpacing Android’s 10% growth, pointing to a rising demand for personalized, mobile-first retail experiences among new iOS users.
Strategic Pivot that Marketers Can Make
- Mid-Funnel and CLV are the New Battleground: With overall UA budgets dipping 20% YoY, marketers must prioritize re-engagement and retention over sheer volume. That means investing in lifecycle marketing, engagement-led dynamic content, and contextual app recommendations that keep users active.
- Lean Into iOS Growth
The refurbished iPhone wave opens a premium audience segment. Serving real time ads at the right moment is more likely to show higher engagement.
Local Perspective: What’s Powering This Growth
From my vantage point at Appnext, three forces are driving South Africa’s app economy forward:
- Smartphone Accessibility – Cheaper Android devices and refurbished iPhones are lowering barriers to entry.
- Digital Payments Infrastructure – Innovations in fintech are enabling frictionless onboarding and transactions, fueling app engagement.
- AI-Powered Discovery – Growth/contextual recommendation technology is making app marketing more relevant and efficient, connecting the right users with the right experiences at the right moment.
- Increase in touchpoints – Multiple Placements leading to multiple engagement touch points are increasing the probability of app engagement, supported by intent based recommendations.
As I often say to partners and clients, “The South African market is shifting from chasing installs to owning intent. Success now depends on connecting with users contextually, building trust over time, and turning first-time downloads into long-term relationships.”
South Africa’s app market is not just growing, it’s getting smarter. For marketers, this is the moment to rethink strategies, align budgets with the realities of retention and lifetime value, and leverage the region’s unique mix of accessibility, infrastructure, and innovation.
South Africa’s app market in 2025 is a story of opportunity, and the time to act is now.
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