Kenya to roll out 1m locally assembled smartphones in 2 months
Source：Business Daily
From：Taiwan Trade Center, Nairobi
Update Time：2023/06/12
Kenya plans to roll out the first consignment of one million locally-assembled smartphones in two months at a unit price of Sh5,484 ($40), in a bid to foster digital access and inclusion.
ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo said the affordability of smart devices has been a major hindrance to digital inclusion, hence the need to produce the gadgets locally.
He said the low-cost smartphones are being assembled at the Konza Technopolis in Malili, Machakos County, and will retail at $40 (Sh5,484 at the current exchange rate).
“Based on feasibility studies undertaken, we can locally assemble smartphones at a unit cost of about $40. We’ve partnered with the private sector to ensure in the next two months, we can roll out our first consignment of low-cost smartphones,” said Mr. Owalo during the official launch of the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) week at the Nairobi Safari Park on Wednesday.
“We are aware of the affordability crisis of smart devices as a potential hindrance to the ability of citizens to tap the full potential that this sector presents and we have actively engaged stakeholders in private and manufacturing to produce low-cost smartphones.”
Official data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) show that penetration of feature phones or non-smartphones is 68.1 percent as of the end of December 2022.
Smartphone penetration in the country stands at 60.2 percent.
“The number of mobile subscriptions increased from 65.5 million reported last quarter to 65.7 million during the reference period, representing a penetration rate of 133.1 percent,” said CAK in the latest quarterly report.
The low uptake of smartphones, Mr. Owalo said, has hindered the uptake of other government and financial services.
The government also plans to accelerate digital inclusion through an initial 5,000km of the planned 100,000km of fiber optic cable by June this year, a project partially funded by the World Bank.
The CS said Sh68.5 billion ($500m) from the World Bank is meant for digital inclusion for fiber connection across the country.
“We have received $500 million from the World Bank towards the digital transformation agenda, under the Kenya digital economy acceleration program," said Mr. Owalo.
“We have a target of rolling out 5000km of optic fiber by June 30. We have onboarded contractors and reached out to other government agencies including the Kenya Power and Lighting Company.
Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/corporate/technology/kenya-to-roll-out-1m-locally-assembled-smartphones--4238630