Facebook reveals user numbers for South Africa

New data published by social media giant Facebook, reveals that South Africa has as many as 12 million monthly active users.

The company released second quarter figures of its active users in countries including Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria.

Facebook has previously said that its active user population in Africa has grown by 20% to 120 million in June 2015 from 100 million in September 2014 , most of whom use mobile.

In terms of monthly users, Nigeria boasts the most with 15 million users, followed by 12 million in South Africa, and Kenya’s 4.5 million users – while daily user figures showed 7.3 million in South Africa, 7.1 million in Nigeria, and 2.2 million in Kenya.

Facebook recently opened its first office in Africa, in Johannesburg, to support its customers on the continent.

Based in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, Facebook’s newest business office is headed by Nunu Ntshingila, the company’s new head of Africa.

“Mobile is not just a trend; it’s the fastest adoption of disruptive technology in history of communication,” said Ntshingila.

“It’s also an incredibly personal device regardless of where a person lives or how they connect, and businesses need to reach people where they are, not where they were, in an authentic, personal and relevant way.”

In a report published in June, World Wide Worx and Fuseware ranked Facebook as the number one social platform in South Africa, with 11.8 million users.

South Africa social media stats