With the aim of enhancing digital services, Rwanda is set to open a factory in April 2019 to locally manufacture phones that will meet the demand of the African market. The report states that the government of Rwanda is in negotiations with Mara Corporation, a Pan-African technology company, to establish the factory.
While confirming the reports, Paula Ingabire, the Minister for ICT and Innovation stated, “Smartphones are important ICT tools since there are some digital services that only require smartphones such as access to land services among others. There is also need to ensure affordability of smartphones whose high cost prevents citizens from benefiting from various digital services. . We hope that the plant to locally produce smartphones will boost access,”
Inagbire added, “Once the factory starts producing smartphones, people will be paying in instalments over a period of 24 months. We also have to work with telecommunication companies to seek ways of reducing prices on internet use, which will boost ICT penetration and digital services,”
This incentive by Rwanda is said to provide close to 20,000 jobs.
Where this leaves Nigeria, I’m not sure. But Ben Bruce-Murray has something to say about this new development.
This is probably in response to Al Jazeera’s tweet about the country.
With this new development, Rwanda is fast becoming Africa’s leading country in terms of development and economic growth.
