[SeekAndFind]

Rwanda opens 'first entirely homemade' smartphone factory in Africa

Africa's largest smartphone maker is Transsion, a Chinese company dominating the continent with its Tecno brand. The Shenzhen-based company doesn't do business in China, despite being based there but it controls a huge part of the smartphone market in Africa, where it has more than 50% marketshare.

Rwanda's ICT Minister Paula Ingabire hopes the plant can play a role in creating jobs and developing skills.

"This plant will hire and train professionals for higher-skilled manufacturing jobs," she told CNN. The number of employees is projected to rise from around 200 to more than 500 by its fifth year of operation. The minister also expects domestic production to increase smartphone penetration by "at least 10%," which will improve access to services and "drive financial inclusion in rural communities through mobile financial services."

The factory currently employs around 200 people, of which 90% are Rwandan and 60% are women.

Ingabire adds that the Mara plant will complement the government's ambitious Digital Ambassadors Program, which aims to achieve 100% digital literacy among youths aged 16-30 and for 60% of the adult population by 2024.

[a fool in paradise]

If they want to distinguish themselves in the marketplace they should sell a phone that automatically blocks calls from third world scammers.

[BipolarBob]

2 Coconuts and a string a smartphone does not make.

[SeekAndFind]

Mara is producing two types of smartphone in Rwanda: The Mara X with 16GB storage space will retail for 120,250 francs ($130), while the more advanced Mara Z model with 32GB storage is on sale for around 175,750 francs ($190), the company said

[aces]

no thanks

[cloudmountain]

Well, hesh mah mouff and call me stupid.

[Viking2002]

[Reno89519]

Wait, they want to compete with Nigerian prince’s? Can’t have that.

[Salman]

So basically, Google outsourcing to Africa.

[moovova]

"Can you hear me now?"

[P.O.E.]

Hope it works out for them. Not so sanguine about China’s footprint(s) in the third world.

[21twelve]

This is great to see, I wish them success. For many of these countries it is hard just to get an industry started, but it becomes almost a momentum powered engine. Pay somebody to build something so they can buy it. Of course you need multiple different industries to keep the money within the country.

Although it is too bad it is a Chinese based company, as I’m sure lots of the profits end up being spent and invested in China rather than in Rwanda. But at least Rwanda is getting a piece of the pie - better than no pie at all.

[JohnBrowdie]

[Nifster]

That ain’t a clean room. They will have problems

[laplata]

I wish them great success.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Good for them!

[KarlInOhio]

Will the Mara phones hunt down Apple iPhones and chop them apart with machetes?

[aquila48]

Nothing says “made in Africa” like a Dubai based company founded and run by a British born and educated Indian.

But I suppose it’s a start. I wish them well.

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1493781/posts?page=9#9

[libh8er]

Should name it the ObamaPhone - made in the continent of Obama’s birth using donated/outdated Chinese technology and comes preinstalled with malware.

[11Bush]

Good for them! I hope they have success. The nay sayers on this thread are the minority. Any success of developing nations is a plus.