Safaricom and Jamii Telecommunication, two prominent telecom operators in Kenya, have joined forces with Chinese mobile devices dealer Shenzhen TeleOne Technology to establish a smartphone assembly factory in the country. The consortium aims to commence operations within the next two months, with the assembly plant being a crucial component of President William Ruto’s initiative to locally produce affordable smartphones, positioning Kenya as the hub for Africa’s cheapest smartphones.
Stephen Kiptiness, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Safaricom, confirmed to Business Daily Africa that the consortium’s progress in setting up the assembly plant, which will be located in the Konza Technopolis—a smart city south of Nairobi that is part of Kenya’s Vision 2030 national development plan. Kiptiness expressed optimism about the project’s timeline, stating that manufacturing should commence soon, and the final products are expected to reach retail stores within a relatively short period.
Shenzhen TeleOne Technology, a subsidiary of Tink Group known for manufacturing smartphones and batteries, will be responsible for the local production of smartphones in Kenya. The Chinese company, although having a limited online presence, is described as one of the pioneering tech enterprises engaged in battery production in China.
President William Ruto had previously announced plans to introduce locally-built smartphones in Kenya, with an ambitious goal of offering devices priced below $40 (a little over KES 5000), though he acknowledged the more realistic price range would be between $40 and $50.
The Kenyan government has allocated one billion shillings ($10 million) to support startups in the mobile software and hardware industry, further emphasising its commitment to fostering local innovation and development.
While the objective of affordable smartphones has faced challenges due to new taxes implemented through the country’s finance bill, the successful establishment of the assembly plant would have a transformative impact on smartphone penetration rates.
Currently, feature phones still dominate the market, accounting for 53.1% of the total 63.4 million mobile phones in the country, as reported by the Communications Authority of Kenya.
The local smartphone assembly initiative aligns with Kenya’s broader plan to promote digital inclusion and provide affordable access to smart devices for all citizens. By manufacturing smartphones within the country, Kenya aims to reduce dependence on imports and stimulate local economic growth in the technology sector.
