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.
- Tim Cook has stepped down after 15 years as Apple CEO, handing control to longtime hardware chief John Ternus.
- Apple grew into a more than $4 trillion company under Cook, but Africa still has no company-owned Apple Store and limited Apple Pay coverage.
- Apple invested in African clean energy, conservation and skills programmes, but its spending remains far below major commitments in the US, Europe, China and Saudi Arabia.
- Ternus enters the role with no significant publicly documented Africa track record, raising questions over whether the continent will play a bigger role in Apple’s next phase of growth.
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, while Ternus inherits a vastly larger company 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 grew to more than 2.5 billion active devices and over 500 stores worldwide, yet Africa still has no company-owned Apple Store.
Its retail, employment, payments and skills-development footprint on the continent also remains limited despite a sizeable customer base.
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 and gold from the DRC, Rwanda and other African countries for use across products including iPhones, iPads and Macs.
The DRC alone supplies about 70% of the world’s cobalt, a key battery material, which helps explain why the Trump administration is pursuing mineral deals with the country for the sake of US technology companies.
Even so, direct commercial and infrastructure investment in the African markets tied to those supply chains has remained comparatively limited.
Apple did invest in Africa under Cook
Cook did make some investments on the continent, but they were modest compared with Apple’s larger commitments elsewhere.
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 company has also backed climate-resilience programmes in Namibia and Zimbabwe through the World Wildlife Fund.
By comparison, 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.
Employment and education remain limited
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.
John Ternus inherits the Africa question
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.
