Firm Partners Chinese Company to Build Phone, Tablet Assembly Plant in Nigeria  

By Emma Okonji

A Nigerian information and communications technology (ICT) firm, Retail Development and Investment Company (RDIC), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Shenzhen Jizhao Information Technology Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of tablet PCs and smart phones in China to build a smart phone and tablet PC assembly plant in Nigeria.

The MOU, recently signed by the two companies in Shenzhen, China, is aimed at building a world class assembly plant in Nigeria with a rollout capacity of 150,000 smart phones monthly.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Managing Director, RIDC, Ejimofor Akah, said the initiative would leverage the unique expertise of both companies in promoting educational and social development of young Nigerians as well as contributing to the country’s industrialisation and economic development drive.

According to him, “RDIC is passionate about the development of the Africans because it believes that, given half the opportunity their counterparts in the western world have, the African child will excel in innovation and prosperity. This MoU will provide a sound pedestal for anchoring the much anticipated digital revolution in Nigeria, with its attendant educational and economic benefits.”

The proposed assembly plant is expected to deepen smartphones and tablet PCs penetration that will assist Nigeria in playing catch up with its advanced counterparts in the fast changing technology world. It will also contribute immensely to the economic development of the country, in general, and the neighbouring communities in particular.

Akah said the assembly plant would create hundreds of direct employment to the teeming Nigerians youths in the plant as well as thousands of indirect jobs in the areas of technical service providers, software development, trading, among others.

Chairman of Board of Shenzhen Jizhao Information Technology Company, Cheng Saiping, expressed the commitment of the company to deploy its signature technological edge to the project, so as to ensure timely completion and the rollout of the most fashionable, vastly functional and the most competitive digital products to Nigerian customers at the times.

“In line with the provisions of the MoU, we are going to develop the software applications to drive the phones and tablet PCs, provide technical support to the assembly plant, including the manufacture of the relevant SKU parts, as well as facilitate training of locals in research and development”, Saiping said.

He further informed that Shenzhen Jizhao Information Technology Co has carved out a niche for itself as a company dedicated to achieving the best customer satisfaction through quality assurance, price and performance, product innovation, marketing support and after-sales service, long-term quality commitments, to digital consuming electronics and high technology for providing a complete product range.