Mobile Brand Types and Usage Patterns among University Students in Mogadishu, Somalia

Abstract

The mobile telephone is the principal gateway through which young Somalis access information, financial services and the digital economy, yet evidence on which brands they use, and why, remains scarce. This study examines mobile-phone brand types and usage patterns among university students in Mogadishu, Somalia. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was administered online between February and April 2026 to 302 students via a structured, self-administered questionnaire; data were analysed in Python (pandas, scipy) using descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square (χ²) tests. Samsung was the dominant brand in use (58.6%, n = 177), followed by Apple's iPhone (29.8%, n = 90) and Infinix (7.9%, n = 24), a clear two-brand concentration. Turnover was rapid: 76.2% had owned two or more phones in the preceding three years, and 57.0% had used their current device for a year or less. Most students paid US$50-$300 for their handset (69.2% combined). Price (61.9%), brand popularity (60.3%) and features (59.3%) were the leading brand-choice factors, while battery life (65.9%), storage (62.3%) and price (60.6%) were the most valued attributes. Brand in use did not differ significantly by sex (χ² = 1.46, p = 0.482) or age (χ² = 4.73, p = 0.578), and was only borderline associated with level of study (χ² = 14.51, p = 0.069); price paid was marginally associated with sex (χ² = 5.92, p = 0.052). The findings position Somali university students as a price-conscious yet brand-aware youth market in which Samsung and Apple compete for a digitally engaged consumer base, offering the first empirical baseline on smartphone brand behaviour in Mogadishu, with implications for retailers, manufacturers, and digital-inclusion policy across the EAC and IGAD regions.