Africa Rwanda launches first ‘Made in Africa’ smartphones By: Editor Date: October 9, 2019 The Mara X and Mara Z will use Google’s Android operating system and cost 175,750 Rwandan francs ($190) and 120,250 Rwandan francs ($130) respectively. They will compete with Samsung, whose cheapest smartphone costs 50,000 Rwandan francs ($54), and non-branded phones at 35,000 Rwandan francs ($37). Mara Group CEO Ashish Thakkar said it was targeting customers willing to pay more for quality. “This is the first smartphone manufacturer in Africa,” Thakkar told Reuters after touring the company alongside Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame. Companies assemble smartphones in Egypt, Ethiopia, Algeria and South Africa, but import the components, he said. “We are actually the first who are doing manufacturing. We are making the motherboards, we are making the sub-boards during the entire process,” he said. “There are over 1,000 pieces per phone.” Thakkar said the plant had cost $24 million and could make 1,200 phones per day. Mara Group hopes to profit from the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, a pact aimed at forming a 55-nation trade bloc, to boost sales across Africa, Thakkar said. The agreement is due to begin trading in July next year, aiming to unite 1.3 billion people and create a $3.4 trillion economic bloc. But it is still in the very early stages and no timelines have been agreed for abolishing tariffs. Kagame said he hoped the phone would increase Rwanda’s smartphone usage, currently at around 15%. “Rwandans are already using smartphones but we want to enable many more. The introduction of Mara phones will put smartphones ownership within reach of more Rwandans,” Kagame said. Source: Reuters Editing by Giulia Paravicini and Mark Potter TagsAfricaNewsRwandaSmartphoneTechnology Previous articleWe won’t pay toll until we get a befitting market – Klo Agogo traders dare AssemblyNext articleRwanda breaks own world record on women representation in parliament Editor Share post: FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsApp SubscribeI want inI've read and accept the Privacy Policy. Popular Erling Haaland failed to break Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal record in a quiet Champions League night for the Manchester City striker against Inter. Vision FC stuns Accra Lions to record first-ever win in Ghana Premier League Bawumia accuses Mahama of inciting the public against government Rising Stars clinch golden trophy at Plan-B FM Inter-community gala Labadi Beach Hotel wins CIMG Hospitality Facility third time in a row Erling Haaland failed to break Cristiano Ronaldo’s goal record in a quiet Champions League night for the Manchester City striker against Inter. Editor - September 19, 2024 Pep Guardiola has justified Erling Haaland's quiet Champions League... TEWU joins SSAUoG to embark on indefinite industrial action. Editor - September 18, 2024 Members of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union of... UN officials highlight the unequal development in digital transformation worldwide. Editor - September 18, 2024 UN authorities have cautioned that as the digital world... Blinken in Cairo in an effort to arrange a cease-fire agreement between Hamas and Israel Editor - September 18, 2024 On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met... More like thisRelated