Bolakale is a Content Writer at Ogabassey with over five years of experience creating clear, practical content for online shoppers. He specialises in product reviews, buying guides, and how-to explainers across consumer electronics and gadgets, translating technical specifications into plain-language advice. His writing helps Nigerian buyers compare options and choose the right products with confidence.
Last reviewed: 29 June 2026. The iPhone 8 Plus is no longer the easy “budget iPhone for everyone” recommendation it was a few years ago. It can still make sense, but only for a narrow buyer: someone who wants a large Touch ID iPhone, basic iOS access, portrait photos, wireless charging, and a lower upfront price than newer models. If you need long software support, 5G, stronger battery life, better low-light camera quality, or a phone for mobile-first business use, move up to a newer model from the Ogabassey Smartphones catalogue.
On Ogabassey, the current listed price for the iPhone 8 Plus is ₦220,000, with listed variant pricing from ₦170,000 to ₦260,000 depending on the selected configuration and condition. The catalogue marks it as available under unmanaged stock, so treat the page as an active product listing, but still confirm the exact storage, colour, battery health, condition grade, accessories, warranty terms, and pickup or delivery timeline before paying.
A practical pre-payment checklist for evaluating an iPhone 8 Plus in Nigeria.
Who this iPhone 8 Plus is for in 2026
The iPhone 8 Plus is best for buyers who understand its age and are shopping for a practical secondary iPhone, a first Apple device for light use, or a Touch ID phone for calls, WhatsApp, banking, email, browsing, photos in good light, and basic social media. It is also a better fit for someone who prefers the classic Home button design over Face ID and does not mind bezels, a 60Hz LCD screen, and Lightning accessories.
It is not the right iPhone for heavy creators, gamers, ride-hailing drivers who rely on all-day screen-on navigation, or buyers who keep one phone for many years without upgrading. The biggest 2026 issue is not raw speed; it is the support horizon. The iPhone 8 Plus runs on the A11 Bionic platform and was not included in Apple’s iOS 17 supported-device list. Apple has still issued iOS 16 security releases for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X class devices, but buyers should not expect the same app lifespan, feature access, or long-term security runway as an iPhone XR, iPhone SE (2nd Gen), or iPhone SE (3rd Gen).
Key specs and buying context
Area
iPhone 8 Plus facts
What it means for buyers
Display
5.5-inch Retina HD LCD, 1920 x 1080, 401 ppi, 60Hz, 625 nits typical brightness
Sharp enough for reading and video, but not as bright, smooth, or immersive as newer OLED iPhones.
Performance
A11 Bionic chip with Neural Engine, 3GB RAM
Fine for everyday apps, but heavier games, camera processing, and newer iOS features are limited.
Rear camera
Dual 12MP Wide and Telephoto cameras, OIS, Portrait mode, 4K video up to 60fps
Still useful in daylight and for portraits, weaker at night than newer iPhones.
Battery
2691mAh catalog battery capacity; Apple rated it around iPhone 7 Plus battery life when new
Condition matters more than the original spec. Check battery health and replacement history.
Connectivity
4G LTE, Nano-SIM, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, Lightning
No 5G and no USB-C. Make sure the model is network-unlocked and not chip-unlocked.
Durability
Glass back, aluminium frame, IP67 rating when new
Wireless charging is useful, but old seals and repaired glass reduce water-resistance confidence.
The 5.5-inch LCD remains one of the phone’s better points. It is sharper than many budget Android panels and the 16:9 shape works well for older video content, typing, spreadsheets, and split attention between reading and replying. The trade-off is size and weight. At 202g, the iPhone 8 Plus feels big in the hand even though the screen is smaller than many modern 6.1-inch phones, because the bezels take up space.
Performance is acceptable if your expectation is realistic. The A11 Bionic was high-end in 2017 and still handles messaging, browsing, music, maps, video calls, light editing, and normal social apps. What you should not buy it for is future-heavy Apple features, advanced AI features, long gaming sessions, or years of app compatibility. If your budget can stretch and you want a compact Touch ID iPhone with a newer chip, compare it against the iPhone SE (3rd Gen) before deciding.
Battery, charging and repair checks
Battery condition should decide the deal. A used or open-box iPhone 8 Plus with poor battery health can feel slower, shut down unexpectedly, or require charging twice a day. Before checkout, ask for the battery health percentage, whether the battery has been replaced, and whether iOS shows any service message under Battery Health. A fresh battery can make the phone feel more useful, but a low-quality replacement can create heat, swelling, or inaccurate battery readings.
The iPhone 8 Plus supports Qi wireless charging and fast charging with a compatible 18W or higher adapter, but the phone uses Lightning rather than USB-C. In Nigeria, that means you should budget for a reliable Lightning cable and charger if the unit does not include one. Avoid buying only because “wireless charging” is listed; test both wired and wireless charging, check the port for looseness, and confirm that the phone does not heat abnormally while charging.
Camera and video: still useful, not magic
The dual 12MP system is the main reason to pick the Plus over the regular iPhone 8. The telephoto camera enables 2x optical zoom and Portrait mode, while the wide camera has optical image stabilization. In daylight, the iPhone 8 Plus can still produce clean photos for family events, product shots for small listings, school work, and social posts. Video is also a strength because Apple supported 4K recording up to 60fps on this generation.
The caution is low light. Newer iPhones have larger sensors, better processing, Night mode, and stronger dynamic range. If you shoot indoor events, nightlife, food content, church services, salons, or TikTok/Reels content after dark, the iPhone 8 Plus will look dated. For camera-led buyers, a newer used iPhone may deliver better value even if the upfront price is higher.
Use alternatives to judge whether the iPhone 8 Plus is cheap enough to justify its age.
Network, chip-unlock and originality warnings
The iPhone 8 Plus is a 4G phone. For many Nigerian buyers, that is still workable because LTE coverage is more important than 5G on a strict budget. But if you live in an area where your carrier’s 5G network is strong and you plan to keep the phone for years, paying extra for a newer 5G iPhone may age better. Also confirm that the specific model supports your network bands and that the unit is factory unlocked.
Be careful with chip-unlocked iPhones. A chip-unlocked phone may work with one SIM setup today and become frustrating after a reset, iOS update, SIM swap, or network change. Search demand around “disadvantages of chip unlocked iPhone” is a real buyer concern, and it applies strongly to old iPhones. For the iPhone 8 Plus, insist on clear unlock status, test calls, mobile data, hotspot, FaceTime/iMessage activation, Apple ID sign-in, Touch ID, cameras, speakers, microphones, True Tone, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, and the Lightning port before final payment.
Alternatives to compare before you buy
Choose the iPhone 8 Plus over the regular iPhone 8 if you want the larger screen, bigger battery class, and dual rear camera. Choose the iPhone 8 only if you need the lowest price and a smaller phone. Choose the iPhone X if you want OLED and Face ID, but remember it shares the same A11 software-generation problem. Choose the iPhone XR if you want a newer design, better battery feel, Face ID, and a longer app-support runway than the iPhone 8 Plus. Choose the iPhone SE (2nd Gen) or SE (3rd Gen) if you want Touch ID in a smaller body with newer internal hardware.
If you are comparing across brands, do not focus only on “iPhone versus Android.” At ₦220,000, the value question is whether you need iOS specifically. A newer Android in the same broad budget can offer a larger display, newer battery, USB-C, more storage, and sometimes 5G. The iPhone 8 Plus counters with Apple build quality, iMessage/FaceTime access, a familiar camera style, good accessory availability, and strong repair knowledge in many Nigerian phone markets.
Verdict
The iPhone 8 Plus is a conditional buy in 2026, not a default recommendation. It is still attractive if the exact unit is clean, factory unlocked, has healthy battery performance, comes with clear warranty or return terms, and is priced far enough below newer iPhones to justify the software and battery compromises. It is a poor buy if the seller cannot explain the condition, if the device is chip-unlocked, if battery health is weak, if FaceTime/iMessage or mobile data cannot be tested, or if you expect years of major iOS upgrades.
For Ogabassey shoppers, the practical path is simple: start with the current iPhone 8 Plus product page, confirm live configuration and warranty details, then compare against newer iPhones in the Smartphones category. If the price gap to an iPhone XR, iPhone SE (2nd Gen), or iPhone SE (3rd Gen) is small, the newer phone is usually the more sensible long-term choice. If the iPhone 8 Plus is significantly cheaper and passes the checks above, it remains a usable budget Apple entry point.
Related reading: iPhone 12 Pro in 2026: Battery, Camera, Price and Safer Open-Box Checks and iPhone 16 Plus Open-Box Guide: Big Battery iPhone Checks Before You Pay.
