Apple’s latest iPhone 17 Pro (base model $1,099) is practically unaffordable on the minimum wages of Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

In Nigeria, the new national minimum wage is N70,000 per month (about $47.90); at that rate, a Nigerian worker has to work for about 23 months of full wages, which is almost two years, to pay.

The revised N70,000 wage, which was effective in 2024, amounts to only $47.90, barely above the World Bank’s poverty line, while an iPhone 17 Pro costs $1,099.

In Nigeria, owning an iPhone has become an aspirational status symbol, as Al Jazeera recently described how a new iPhone 16 (predecessor to the 17) sold for over N3 million (~$1,800) in Lagos is more than forty times the old N30,000 wage and roughly eight times the newer N70,000 wage.

The pressure to appear successful in Nigeria fuels an informal market with smartphones are routinely sold, swapped, and even smuggled through tech hubs like Lagos’s Computer Village.

In Ghana, the impact is greater, as the government set the daily minimum at GHS 19.97 in 2025, according to atlashxm, which is about $1.28 per day. This yields roughly $35 per month, so it takes on the order of 2.5–3 years of work to reach $1,099.

In Cameroon and Benin (Central and West Africa, respectively), minimum wages of 43,696 XAF and 52,000 XOF per month are higher in absolute terms (about $75–90).

In Ghana, the daily minimum of GHS 19.97 (about $1.28) translates to only around $34–38 per month, implying over 30 months of pay (2½–3 years) are needed for $1,099.

In Cameroon, Niger, or Benin, where official monthly pay is higher, an iPhone still requires a year or more of saving.

Business Insider Africa notes that import duties, VAT, shipping fees, and currency swings add substantially to Apple’s US price. By launch day, African prices often far exceed the US retail price. An example is that duties and weak currencies can roughly double local prices compared to the $1099 base.

Apple has no direct retail presence in West Africa; hence, phones pass through independent importers. These sellers add their own markups to cover logistics and exchange-rate risk.

As a result, the iPhone 17 Pro is treated as a luxury gadget. Business Insider reported that despite these higher prices, demand for the iPhone remains strong in many African markets, and long launch-day lines form in cities like Lagos and Accra as buyers view it as a status symbol.

Many West African buyers opt for older or secondhand models of iPhone or purchase through grey-market channels, as Business Insider notes that the iPhone’s high cost necessitates saving over long periods or taking on debt.

Some retailers now offer instalment plans and financing to make high-end phones accessible.

There is a stark affordability gap, as an iPhone 17 Pro that costs just over a year’s pay in the United States would cost African minimum-wage earners several years’ work. This is coupled with weak local currencies and high taxes, making the device far beyond the reach of most.

There is no corporate-owned Apple Store in Nigeria; however, there are authorised resellers and Apple Premium Stores, such as iStore and Mac Centre, in Lagos and Abuja, which is a sign that high prices and limited access do not dampen demand, as they underscore inequality in the ability to pay. (BusinessDay)