Channel Partner Business Model Evolution in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2025

This IDC Market Perspective — one of a series of IT services research program reports on channel partner–related trends in specific countries across the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa — takes a detailed look at developments in the channel partner ecosystem in Sub-Saharan Africa. It evaluates current channel partner business models and analyzes the various factors that impact vendors and channel partners in the region."Channel partner models in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to evolve as client needs become more complex and sophisticated. Hence, most service providers have evolved from mere resellers into managed service providers as they look to provide holistic solutions to their customers. However, AI adoption among channel partners remains limited, despite increased appetite among enterprises for greater AI integration into IT services." — Derrick Chikanga, research manager, IT services, IDC South Africa