Tim Cook has stepped down as Apple CEO after 15 years, handing control of one of the world’s most valuable companies to longtime hardware chief John Ternus and closing an era of extraordinary global expansion that left Africa with a comparatively limited Apple footprint.
American engineer John Ternus, 51, Apple’s former senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, officially took over as CEO on September 1, 2026, following his appointment in April.
Cook, 65, remains executive chairman and will continue supporting the company, including on policy matters, while Ternus inherits a vastly larger business than his predecessor took over from Steve Jobs in 2011.
During Cook’s tenure, Apple’s market value rose from about $350 billion to roughly $4.5 trillion, while annual revenue climbed from $108 billion to more than $400 billion.
The tech giant also expanded its installed base to more than 2.5 billion active devices and built a global retail network of more than 500 stores. Africa, however, remains absent from that retail map.
There is still no company-owned Apple Store on the continent despite a sizeable customer base across major markets, while Apple’s retail, employment, payment and skills-development footprint remains limited.
Statcounter estimated that Apple accounted for 18.57% of mobile web usage across Africa in August 2026, ranking second behind Samsung at 31.95%.
Its share varied sharply by market, reaching 33.43% in Ghana, 32.02% in Morocco, 24.82% in South Africa, 17.92% in Nigeria, 11.99% in Egypt and 6.67% in Kenya.
That sizeable consumer presence contrasts with Apple’s limited commercial footprint in Africa, a continent that has long played a central role in global electronics supply chains.
The company’s suppliers have historically sourced tantalum, tin, tungsten, gold and other minerals from the Great Lakes region, while the DRC alone supplies about 70% of the world’s cobalt used in rechargeable electronics.
These minerals are essential to products such as iPhones, iPads and MacBooks, yet Apple has made comparatively little direct commercial or infrastructure investment in the countries that supply them.
Amid those gaps, Cook’s 15-year tenure was not without investment on the continent.
In Kenya, the company partnered with Conservation International on restoration work in the Chyulu Hills, while its Power for Impact programme brought renewable electricity to more than 3,500 households in South Africa and supported solar projects at schools for children with disabilities.
In Nigeria, it funded solar and mini-grid projects serving healthcare centres, households and small businesses, while in the DRC it supported renewable energy for the Malalaika School.
The group has also backed climate-resilience programmes in Namibia and Zimbabwe through the World Wildlife Fund.
Even so, these initiatives remain modest compared with Apple’s far larger commitments in other countries and regions.
Under Cook, Apple pledged $600 billion in US investment and spending, €1.7 billion for European data centres, more than $150 million for clean-energy projects in China, and about $2.7 billion in spending with Saudi companies.
The gap also extends to employment and skills development, with Apple lacking a major continental headquarters or employment hub in Africa and publishing no separate workforce figure for the region.
The company also has no Developer Academy on the continent, despite operating academies in Brazil, Indonesia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the United States.
With Ternus, 51, now in charge, attention will turn to whether he gives Africa a bigger role in Apple’s global strategy.
Africa has a young population, fast-growing consumer markets and an important place in global technology supply chains.
Ternus will also face growing competition from Samsung and major Chinese and Japanese technology firms expanding across the continent, although Apple still benefits from strong brand loyalty, premium positioning and the status attached to its products.
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