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Lusaka, the vibrant heart of Zambia, is experiencing a rapid digital transformation. Social media has become more than just a platform for personal connections.
It’s now a crucial arena for businesses to connect with customers, build brands, and drive growth.
Understanding the specific nuances of social media usage within Lusaka is paramount for any business aiming to thrive in this dynamic market.
This in-depth article dives into the key social media statistics relevant to Lusaka in 2025, providing actionable insights and data-backed strategies to empower your business.
Contents
The Expanding Digital Community: Social Media Penetration in Lusaka
Lusaka boasts a significant and growing digital community. As of late 2025, an estimated 75% of internet users in Lusaka are active on at least one social media platform.
This high penetration rate underscores the immense potential of social media as a marketing and communication channel within the city.
This figure represents a 15% increase over the past three years, indicating a consistent upward trend in social media adoption among Lusaka residents.
Demographic Snapshot of Social Media Users in Lusaka:
| Age Group | Estimated Percentage of Internet Users Active on Social Media | Primary Platforms |
| 18-24 | 92% | Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp |
| 25-34 | 85% | Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn |
| 35-44 | 70% | Facebook, WhatsApp, LinkedIn |
| 45+ | 55% | Facebook, WhatsApp |
Source: Internal speMEDIA Analysis of 2025 Lusaka Digital Trends (Based on aggregated anonymised user data and market research)
This table highlights the dominance of social media among younger demographics.
However, a significant portion of older age groups are also active, primarily on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp.
This diverse user base offers opportunities for businesses targeting various segments.
The Preferred Digital Hangouts: Most Popular Social Media Platforms in Lusaka
Understanding where your potential customers spend their time online is crucial. In Lusaka, the social media landscape is dominated by a few key players:
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WhatsApp: This messaging platform transcends its basic function and serves as a primary communication hub. Its high usage rates across all demographics make it invaluable for direct customer engagement, community building, and even informal marketing. Approximately 90% of social media users in Lusaka actively use WhatsApp daily.
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Facebook: Despite the rise of newer platforms, Facebook retains its position as a major social networking site in Lusaka. Its large and diverse user base makes it ideal for broad reach, brand building, and running targeted advertising campaigns. An estimated 78% of Lusaka social media users are active on Facebook.
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Instagram: With its visual focus, Instagram is particularly popular among younger demographics and businesses with visually appealing products or services. Its growing adoption rate in Lusaka, currently at 62% of social media users, makes it a vital platform for brand storytelling and influencer marketing.
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TikTok: The short-form video platform has witnessed explosive growth in Lusaka, especially among Gen Z and younger millennials. While advertising on TikTok in Zambia is still evolving, its high engagement rates (45% of social media users) offer significant potential for creative and viral marketing campaigns.
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LinkedIn: As a professional networking platform, LinkedIn is essential for B2B businesses and those targeting professionals in Lusaka. While its user base is smaller compared to other platforms (25% of social media users), it provides access to a highly targeted audience of business leaders and decision-makers.
Visualising Platform Popularity in Lusaka:
The Preferred Digital Hangouts: Most Popular Social Media Platforms in Lusaka
Understanding where your potential customers spend their time online is crucial. In Lusaka, the social media landscape is dominated by a few key players:
-
WhatsApp: This messaging platform transcends its basic function and serves as a primary communication hub. Its high usage rates across all demographics make it invaluable for direct customer engagement, community building, and even informal marketing. Approximately 90% of social media users in Lusaka actively use WhatsApp daily.
-
Facebook: Despite the rise of newer platforms, Facebook retains its position as a major social networking site in Lusaka. Its large and diverse user base makes it ideal for broad reach, brand building, and running targeted advertising campaigns. An estimated 78% of Lusaka social media users are active on Facebook.
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Instagram: With its visual focus, Instagram is particularly popular among younger demographics and businesses with visually appealing products or services. Its growing adoption rate in Lusaka, currently at 62% of social media users, makes it a vital platform for brand storytelling and influencer marketing.
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TikTok: The short-form video platform has witnessed explosive growth in Lusaka, especially among Gen Z and younger millennials. While advertising on TikTok in Zambia is still evolving, its high engagement rates (45% of social media users) offer significant potential for creative and viral marketing campaigns.
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LinkedIn: As a professional networking platform, LinkedIn is essential for B2B businesses and those targeting professionals in Lusaka. While its user base is smaller compared to other platforms (25% of social media users), it provides access to a highly targeted audience of business leaders and decision-makers.
Visualising Platform Popularity in Lusaka:
This chart visually represents the dominance of WhatsApp and Facebook in the Lusaka social media landscape.
Decoding Digital Habits: How Lusakans Engage on Social Media
Beyond platform preference, understanding how Lusaka residents use social media provides deeper insights for effective marketing:
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Mobile-First Engagement: With high smartphone penetration and relatively affordable mobile data, the vast majority (over 95%) of social media access in Lusaka occurs via mobile devices. This necessitates a mobile-first approach for all content and website experiences linked from social media.
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Peak Usage Times: Data indicates peak social media usage in Lusaka during evening hours (7 PM – 10 PM) and during lunch breaks (1 PM – 2 PM). Scheduling content and campaigns around these times can significantly increase visibility.
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Content Preferences: Visual content, including images and videos, consistently outperforms text-based posts in terms of engagement among Lusaka users. Short, engaging video content, in particular, resonates strongly, mirroring global TikTok trends.
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Community and Group Engagement: Lusakans actively participate in online communities and groups on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook, often centred around shared interests, local events, or specific needs. This presents opportunities for businesses to engage with niche audiences.
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Increasing E-commerce Discovery: A significant trend in Lusaka is the growing use of social media for product discovery and research. Approximately 40% of Lusaka social media users report using platforms like Facebook and Instagram to find information about products and services before making a purchase.
Leveraging Big Data for Targeted Strategies:
Analysing anonymised big data trends reveals even more granular insights into Lusaka’s social media usage:
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Hyper-Local Targeting: Businesses can leverage location-based advertising features to target specific neighbourhoods or areas within Lusaka, ensuring their message reaches the most relevant local audience.
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Interest-Based Segmentation: Big data allows for precise targeting based on users’ declared interests, hobbies, and online behaviour, enabling businesses to connect with highly specific customer segments. For example, a fitness centre in Lusaka can target users who have shown interest in health and wellness content.
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Sentiment Analysis: Monitoring social media conversations around your brand marketing and industry in Lusaka can provide valuable insights into customer sentiment, allowing for proactive engagement and addressing potential issues.
Actionable Strategies for Businesses in Lusaka:
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Prioritise Mobile Optimisation: Ensure your website and all your social media marketing content are fully optimised for mobile viewing and interaction.
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Visually Driven Content: Focus on creating high-quality, engaging images and videos that resonate with the Lusaka audience.
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Strategic Platform Selection: Allocate your marketing efforts to the platforms where your target audience is most active in Lusaka.
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Engage with Local Communities: Participate in relevant online groups and communities to build brand awareness and connect with potential customers.
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Explore Social Commerce: Leverage the growing trend of product discovery on social media by showcasing your offerings effectively.
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Utilise Location-Based Targeting: Refine your advertising campaigns to reach specific geographic areas within Lusaka.
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Monitor and Analyse: Track your social media performance and use data-driven insights to optimise your strategies.
Conclusion:
The social media landscape in Lusaka presents a wealth of opportunities for businesses that understand its nuances.
By leveraging the data and insights presented in this article, businesses can develop targeted, effective strategies to connect with their audience, build strong brands, and drive sustainable growth within Zambia’s dynamic capital city.
Embracing a data-driven approach to social media marketing is no longer an option but a necessity for success in Lusaka’s increasingly digital world.
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