MTN to buy one million Ugandan-manufactured smartphones

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | MTN Uganda has pledged to support the local assembly and manufacturing of smartphones by purchasing one million handsets.

Smartphone penetration is still below 40% in the country and lowering the cost of handsets will go a long way to improve overall penetration.

Speaking at the second Uganda – South Africa Trade and Investment summit in Munyonyo on Sept.6, Mcebisi Hubert Jonas, the MTN Group chairman said the telecom company will be supporting a local smart phone assembly factory. He said: “In the near future we will procure a million handsets from that factory to ensure that it is viable and that it survives.” He added: “So we can say without any fear of contradiction that this conference has been very successful.

I think that there is a great appreciation of the institutional quality in Uganda. However, we must continue to improve the quality of institutions in Uganda and to drive down the cost of doing business.”