Pakistan’s local mobile phone manufacturing and assembly sector recorded a contraction in December 2025, according to data released by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

This slowdown is on account of weak consumer demand amid extended replacement cycles in line with global patterns, which have increased to 40 months, noted analysts at Topline Securities.

Local manufacturers assembled 30.21 million mobile phones during the 2025 calendar year, marking a 4 per cent decline from the last calendar year in which 31.38m units were produced.

A closer look at the data shows a slight improvement towards the end of the year. In December, local companies manufactured or assembled 2.61m units, posting a 5pc increase from November, but 12pc lower than the 2.95m units produced during the same time period in 2024.

Despite the decline in output, Pakistan continued to rely on local manufacturing to meet domestic demand. In 2025, locally assembled phones accounted for 93pc of total mobile phone consumption, similar to the 95pc seen in the 2024 calendar year.

Of the 30.21m units assembled during the year, 15.64m (52pc) were smartphones, while the remaining 14.57m (48pc) were 2G phones.

In terms of brands for January to December 2025, Infinix emerged as the largest locally assembled brand in 2025, producing 3.65 million units, followed by VGO Tel (3.57m), Vivo (2.80m), and Itel (2.34m). Other brands that contribute significantly were Samsung (1.85m), Tecno (1.84m), Xiaomi (1.38m), Q Mobile (1.11m), Realme (1.06m), and OPPO (1.01m).

Looking ahead, analysts at Topline remain optimistic about the future of local phone manufacturing and assembly in Pakistan. They foresee a seven to eight pc year on year growth of the sector over the next 12 months, supported by a relatively stable rupee, easing inflation, and a gradual improvement in consumer purchasing power.