Worldwide PC shipments fell 20.1% to 62.7 million units in the third quarter of 2026, according to preliminary figures IDC released on October 8, and the research firm expects laptop prices to stay well above last year’s levels rather than fall back. If you’ve been holding off on a laptop in Nigeria in the hope that prices will crash before the end of the year, that forecast is the clearest signal yet that waiting is unlikely to pay off.
Almost every new laptop sold here is imported and priced off the dollar cost that brands and distributors pay, so what happens in global supply shows up on Nigerian shelves fairly quickly. IDC says the slump came after vendors and retailers rushed to stock up in the first half of the year “ahead of memory-driven price hikes”, which left the third quarter with less stock, higher prices and buyers who simply stopped buying.
| Total shipments | 62.7 million, down 20.1% from 78.5 million |
|---|---|
| Lenovo | 14.9 million, down 22.6% |
| HP | 10.3 million, down 30.9% |
| Dell | 7.6 million, down 25.0% |
| Apple | 5.9 million, down 11.3% |
| ASUS | 5.5 million, down 8.6% |
| Source | IDC preliminary data, released 8 October 2026 |
Why fewer laptops shipped and prices still didn’t fall
A collapse in sales would normally push sellers to cut prices, but this one was driven by cost rather than a glut, since RAM and storage chips have become much more expensive through 2026. Memory is a big part of what a laptop costs to build, so brands raised prices and buyers pulled back. IDC research director Jitesh Ubrani put it bluntly in the firm’s third-quarter release, saying “prices will remain elevated” and that IDC doesn’t expect pricing “anywhere near what it was a year ago”.
Ubrani did leave a small opening for buyers, noting that channels are now worried about carrying too much inventory into a market where high prices are suppressing demand, which is why IDC thinks there could be brief, modest promotions. In Nigeria, that’s most likely to show up as occasional discounts from authorised resellers clearing older stock, not as a general price cut, so treat any deal as a bonus rather than something to plan your purchase around.
HP and Dell fell hardest, and that affects what you’ll find here
HP’s shipments dropped 30.9% and Dell’s 25%, the two steepest falls among the top five, and both brands are among the most common business and student laptops sold new and UK-used in Nigeria. Fewer units moving globally tends to mean thinner choice of current models from importers, so you may find the exact configuration you want harder to source and be offered an older generation instead. Apple and ASUS held up better, falling 11.3% and 8.6%, and both gained market share as a result.
Being offered older stock isn’t automatically a bad thing, since a laptop built before the latest round of memory price increases can be decent value. What you need to know is exactly what you’re getting, especially the processor generation, the amount of RAM and whether it’s new, open-box or UK-used.
Buy now or wait? A sensible way to decide
If your current laptop still does what you need, there’s no harm in waiting a few weeks to watch for a promotion, but don’t hold out for a big drop that IDC itself doesn’t expect. If you need a machine for school, work or a new job soon, buying now is reasonable, and the money is better spent getting the right specification than on timing the market. That matters more this year, because memory is the part pushing prices up, so a cheap laptop is often cheap because it has less RAM. Our guide to buying a laptop in 2026 without getting stuck with 8GB explains why 16GB is the safer target and how to check whether RAM can be upgraded later.
If you’re considering a used machine to stretch your budget, check it for a BIOS password or company lock before you pay, and if it’s for university, make sure it meets the Windows 11 requirements that student laptops need.
IDC’s numbers point to a market where prices are set by memory costs that no seller in Ikeja or Wuse controls, which makes the specification you choose a far better lever than the week you buy in. Get the RAM, processor and warranty right, take a genuine promotion if one turns up, and you’ll be in a better position than someone still waiting for a price collapse that isn’t on the horizon.
Join the conversation