According to a survey conducted in South Africa about the usage of instant messaging applications among individuals with varying educational levels in 2021, people who had completed secondary school were the largest group using WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Tertiary graduate users followed on the two social media platforms. Furthermore, people with tertiary education used Telegram and Signal more, compared to others with lower educational backgrounds.
Distribution of instant messaging App users in South Africa in 2021, by education level
January 18 to May 14 and July 13 to Semptember 31, 2021
Number of respondents
24,666 respondents
Age group
15 years and older
Special properties
The data was collected in two waves
Supplementary notes
* No formal schooling.
TGI/AskAfrika, annually interviews 24,666 respondents aged 15+ living in urban areas with 8,000 or more inhabitants, using a stratified random probability sample. The data is weighted to the South African national statistics service, "Statistics South Africa's" population estimates, which allow for an accurate representation of 27.76 million South Africans.
To ensure a nationally representative sample, the survey is based on enumerated area (EA) sampling.
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Ornico, & World Wide Worx. (June 28, 2022). Distribution of instant messaging App users in South Africa in 2021, by education level [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1340966/distribution-of-instant-messaging-app-users-in-south-africa-by-education-level/
Ornico, und World Wide Worx. "Distribution of instant messaging App users in South Africa in 2021, by education level." Chart. June 28, 2022. Statista. Accessed November 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1340966/distribution-of-instant-messaging-app-users-in-south-africa-by-education-level/
Ornico, World Wide Worx. (2022). Distribution of instant messaging App users in South Africa in 2021, by education level. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 12, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1340966/distribution-of-instant-messaging-app-users-in-south-africa-by-education-level/
Ornico, and World Wide Worx. "Distribution of Instant Messaging App Users in South Africa in 2021, by Education Level." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 Jun 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1340966/distribution-of-instant-messaging-app-users-in-south-africa-by-education-level/
Ornico & World Wide Worx, Distribution of instant messaging App users in South Africa in 2021, by education level Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1340966/distribution-of-instant-messaging-app-users-in-south-africa-by-education-level/ (last visited November 12, 2024)
Distribution of instant messaging App users in South Africa in 2021, by education level [Graph], Ornico, & World Wide Worx, June 28, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1340966/distribution-of-instant-messaging-app-users-in-south-africa-by-education-level/
