Rwanda just released the first smartphone made entirely in Africa

Fast Company ^ | 10/2019 | Melissa Locker

[SeekAndFind]

Rwanda’s Mara Group has grand ambitions. The company hopes to help turn Rwanda into a regional tech hub, and it just got one step closer to completing that mission. This week, the company released two smartphones, earning Mara Group the title of the first smartphone manufacturer in Africa.

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Rwanda President Paul Kagame has announced Africa’s “first high tech smartphone factory,” CNN reported. While smartphones are assembled in other African nations (Egypt, Algeria, and South Africa all have assembly plants), according to Reuters, those companies all import the components. But at Mara, they manufacture the phones from the motherboards to the packaging, which is all done in the new factory. Kagame made the announcement in a press conference on Monday in the capital of Kigali.

The phones, called Mara X and Mara Z, are the first “Made in Africa” models. Here are the details:

• Mara X model: 16GB storage. Retail: 120,250 Rwandan francs ($130)
• Mara Z model: 32GB storage. Retail: 175,750 Rwandan francs ($190)

Both run on Google’s Android operating system. While the company admits they are a little more expensive than other options, like the popular Tecno brand phones made by a Chinese-owned company, they hope customers are willing to pay a bit more for quality and Made in Africa pride.

The facility is “an important step” for Rwanda, which has worked to transform itself into an economic innovation leader. They hosted the World Economic Forum on Africa in May 2018, and work is reportedly well underway on the Kigali Innovation City, which will house innovation labs and provide training and funding for technology companies.

*PHOTOS*

President #Kagame arriving at Special Economic Zone where he is launching Mara Phones Manufacturing plant.

These Smart Phones will be the first #MadeInRwanda Smart phones.

The President is now touring the plant.

Watch live https://t.co/ZDuH11x7iP #RBAnews pic.twitter.com/1FKjZAynKO

— Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA) (@rbarwanda) October 7, 2019

Which Mara X is your favorite?
Silver or Goldhttps://t.co/2Zq4q4m1fy#smartphone #MaraX pic.twitter.com/cjpgPfuHsl

— Mara Phones (@MaraPhones) August 13, 2019

[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

[SeekAndFind]

[cloudmountain]

Well, hesh mah mouff and call me stupid.

[SeekAndFind]

RE: no thanks

It’s only for the African market.

[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?"

[nomorelurker]

I’ve seen something like that priced for several $K in an art gallery.

[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

[Secret Agent Man]

Over half of africa couldn’t use the phone then

[dfwgator]

Does it run on Ubuntu?

[SunkenCiv]

I ordered mine through a member of the Nigerian royal family.