13 countries and the most community-dense subregion in Africa. Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal lead with active trading, business and local neighborhood groups.
Nigeria
4,787,975
Ghana
347,731
Cameroon
115,425
Mali
226,047
Senegal
116,336
Burkina Faso
104,758
Niger
2,741,209
Liberia
83,268
Sierra Leone
2,932
Guinea
99,853
Togo
434,066
Gabon
346,369
Mauritania
27,669
13 countries with rapidly expanding group activity. Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania have built some of the most engaged local communities on the continent.
Ethiopia
858,928
Kenya
583,084
Tanzania
354,467
Uganda
372,784
Somalia
1,603,980
Zambia
38,636
Mozambique
46,660
Madagascar
31,147
Malawi
9,373
Rwanda
19,544
Zimbabwe
93,677
Congo
121,945
Eritrea
55,012
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.