CAIRO: Egypt’s first smartphone maker is looking to enter the broader African market by the end of 2018 or early 2019 as it seeks to boost exports, its sales director said.
Silicon Industries Corporation (SICO), which already exports to the Gulf, aims to start selling phones in Kenya, Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Nigeria, Mozambique and Ghana, Sales Director Mahmoud Ali told Reuters.
“It’s a promising market and there’s much less competition than in the Gulf,” Ali said, noting big demand for affordable phones in Africa. He said he mostly expected to sell smartphones in the $50 to $60 price range to African customers outside Egypt.
SICO, which was set up last year with capital of 150 million Egyptian pounds ($8.4 million), sells phones under the brand name Nile X and has said it uses a Chinese design of 3G/4G US technology.
Private investors hold 80 percent of the company and the remaining 20 percent is held by Egypt’s Ministry of Communication.
In 2019 the company aims to export 40 percent of its production and keep 60 percent local, Ali said. It also wants to expand its market share in Egypt from 12 percent to 15 percent in 2019, he said.
He said it was too early to set a sales target for exports to African countries, but he expected to export more to customers in Africa than in the Gulf next year.
“We are still entering the market and talking to people,” he said. “We are working with several operators and hoping that [the phones] will be available at their branches at the end of 2018 or early 2019.”
The company expects to triple its total production from 500,000 units in 2018 to 1.5 million units in 2019, Ahmad el-Sawaf, SICO’s international business development manager said. Of the 1.5 million, 900,000 would be sold in Egypt while 600,000 would be sold abroad, he added.
He said the company targets sales of 400 million pounds this year, tripling to 1.2 billion pounds next year. The target for 2020 is 2.5 billion pounds, he said.
The smartphone maker plans to introduce new phones next year, offering a total of 14 products, he said. SICO currently offers six products, including smartphones and a tablet, he said.
Egypt’s first smartphone maker plans expansion in Africa
Egypt’s first smartphone maker plans expansion in Africa
- SICO was set up last year with capital of 150 million Egyptian pounds ($8.4 million)
- In 2019 the company aims to export 40 percent of its production and keep 60 percent local, its sales director says
Riyadh Air adds Cairo to growing network with daily flights
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s newest national airline Riyadh Air has confirmed the launch of daily flights to the Egyptian capital Cairo as it continues to expand its route network.
According to a press release, the new service, which will operate from Riyadh using the airline’s fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, is set to begin shortly after the organization accepts delivery of its first aircraft in the coming weeks.
The development directly responds to passenger demand between the two capital cities. Flights between Riyadh and Cairo are consistently among the busiest international routes, with data recording 2.7 million passengers last year.
The new service strengthens Riyadh Air’s strategic mission to connect the Kingdom with major global hubs and directly supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification and tourism goals.
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said the launch of commercial service to Cairo “marks a true beginning of our journey to connect Riyadh to the world, and the world to Riyadh.”
He added: “This route has been carefully selected to serve a key market that aligns with our ambition to become a global destination and a significant contributor to Vision 2030.”
Announced in 2023 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Riyadh Air is expected to add more than $20 billion to the Kingdom’s non-oil gross domestic product and create over 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.
In April, the airline received approval from the General Authority of Civil Aviation to begin flight operations after securing its Air Operator Certificate upon meeting all regulatory, safety, and operational requirements.
Cairo joins a growing list of destinations for the fledgling airline, adding to the previously announced services to London-Heathrow and Dubai.
“We look forward to welcoming our guests aboard our state-of-the-art Dreamliners to experience our distinctive Saudi hospitality and redefine the future of air travel,” Douglas stated.
The airline is currently in its “Pathway to Perfect” operational readiness phase and is poised to launch commercial service imminently following aircraft delivery.
Riyadh Air aims to connect guests to over 100 destinations worldwide by 2030, with more new routes expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
