Mobile in Africa is huge and will continue to grow according to a report by International Data Corporation (IDC) which projects the African smartphone market to double in volume over the next four years and account for close to a third of all handset shipments to the continent by 2017.
A Nigerian device firm, RLG Communications Nigeria Limited has said it will launch the first ever mobile phone and computers assembly plant in Nigeria on January 30th, 2014 in Ilesha Osun state ina move that will make phones even affordable and as a source of employment to the masses.
Dubbed the “RLG & ADULAWO TECH CITY” the plant will be launched as a government private partnership and is designed to assemble a minimum of 5,000 mobile phones and 2,500 laptops per day and as well act as a training center, research & development (R & D) lab. The facility will also have a Green Technology – Biogas Plant to provide cooking gas for the staff quarter and also the capacity to generate 3KVA electricity which can be used for lighting.
The facility has the capacity to employ 10,000 people directly and indirectly. The first set of employees are the beneficiaries of Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme Technology (OYESTECH), a programme set up by the state government to equip youths in ICT and it was implemented by the RLG training institute. A total number of 20,000 beneficiaries will be trained on this programme. The first set of 5,000 beneficiaries have graduated already.