The government of Rwanda is set to open a factory to produce smartphones with the aim of enhancing digital services. Paula Ingabire, the Minister for ICT and Innovation confirmed the reports and said the government is in negotiations with Mara Corporation, a Pan-African technology company, to establish the plant.
“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 a need to ensure the 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,” said Ingabire.
“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,” Ingabire added.
The news comes in a few months after Ashish Thakkar announced in 2018 that his company would roll out the first phones for sale this year after setting up factories in Rwanda and South Africa at the Africa Investment Forum.
In November 2018, after 22 years of dealing in a variety of technology products through Mara Group, Ashish Thakkar unveiled Maraphones and a prototype at an event in South Africa. The first unveiling was at the World Economic Forum in 2016.
