Tech

Taxes, duties affecting mobile phone usage in Nigeria— Report

Published

3 weeks ago

November 19, 2023

The Global System for Mobile Telecommunication Association (GSMA) has drawn attention to the detrimental effects of taxes and duties on smartphone adoption in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest tech base, and the continent at large.

The GSMA study claims that taxes and duties raise smartphone prices by 10 to 30%, depending on the African nation, making the device less accessible for a large number of people.

According to GSMA’s “The Mobile Economy in Sub-Saharan Africa (2023)” report, manufacturers in SSA face difficulties in producing affordable devices due to high manufacturing costs, particularly in the 5G and 4G markets.

According to the report, 60% of Africans lack mobile internet access despite coverage, and smartphone affordability is still a major barrier to mobile internet usage in the region.

At the beginning of 2023, 122.5 million Nigerians were online, with a 55.4% internet penetration rate. In the same year, 193.9 million cellular mobile connections were active, which is equal to 87.7% of the country’s total population.

During the week, the Network Service Providers Association of Zambia (NSPAZ) announced that from January 1, 2024, the cost of fixed internet services would increase by 17.5%, also posing a threat to internet and mobile phone use in the country.

The GSMA research complimented cooperative efforts between operators and manufacturers to address these issues which have resulted in a recent drop in the average selling price of smartphones.

The proliferation of smartphones under $100, especially from Chinese brands such as Tecno, Itel, and Infinix, has been instrumental in democratising smartphone access.

Moreover, operators are working in tandem with manufacturers to control expenses and provide consumers with financing options, which is supporting continuous initiatives to improve the region’s digital penetration, the report notes.

Related Topics:Featured Nigeria smart phones

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Tech

Egyptian online auto parts startup Mtor raises $2.8m funding

Published

4 hours ago

December 8, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Egyptian online auto parts startup, Mtor, has announced raising $2.8 million in pre-seed funding to enable it expand its product portfolio to digitise local car workshops in the country.

Co-founder and CEO of the startup, Mohamed Maged, who made the announcement, explained that with the funds which were secured from Algebra Ventures with participation from the Dutch Founders Fund (DFF), Aditum Ventures, LoftyInc Capital Management, and a number of local and global angel investors, the firm was set to expand its offering.

“With the new funds, we aim to become the most trusted partner for our mechanics by empowering them to better cater to the car owner’s needs in terms of quality parts and fast service,” Maged said.

“It can be a car owner’s nightmare to get their car serviced. Mtor was founded to fundamentally transform this reality and make the process easier and more efficient, empowering a layer of local car workshops that are well rounded with quality parts, a suitable price position, and a good customer experience.

“The local automotive aftermarket is inefficient with a fragmented and scattered supply chain. Workshops and mechanics face many challenges, including limited product availability, inaccurate fitment data, and a lack of price transparency.

“These issues inevitably trickle down to car owners, who are also faced with limited-service quality guarantees and a complex, time-consuming spare parts procurement process.

“Mtor aims to overhaul this system through its controlled, tech-enabled marketplace, backed by its proprietary Mtor Mechanic app, where pricing, availability, and fitment data are reliably just a click away,” the CEO stated.

He added that the funds raised would be used to further grow Mtor’s product suite, digitise local car workshops, and eliminate major inefficiencies in the automotive spare parts supply chain in Egypt and the region.

Founded in 2022 by Maged, Moaz El-Megharbel, Mohamed Altaf, and Khaled Kandil, Mtor provides a unified platform for local car workshops and on-demand automotive spare parts at reasonable prices.

It has delivered over 70,000 orders, partnering with over 2,500 car workshops in the greater Cairo area, according to the company’s profile on its website.

Tech

Kenya, Ghana, Senegal the pilots as YouTube Music launches in Africa

Published

1 day ago

December 7, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

International video sharing and social networking platform, YouTube, on Thursday announced the launch of YouTube Music and YouTube Premium with the pilot schemes taking off in Kenya, Ghana and Senegal.

Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa at YouTube, Addy Awofisayo, who made the announcement, said the new offerings would give subscribers something they had never experienced before.

He added that the expansion builds upon YouTube’s commitment to innovation and the exportation of culture, promising a more engaging and personalized experience for music and video enthusiasts in Africa.

“Music is a powerful force that can unite people beyond their geographical and language barriers; It brings joy and elevates the psyche.

“We’re excited to bring YouTube Music to Africa as this reinforces our commitment to provide individuals access to the music they love while exploring other interesting music preferences.”

Awofisayo further explains that YouTube Premium is all of YouTube and YouTube Music without interruptions.

“What this means is that subscribers will receive ad-free viewing, background play, and the ability to download videos for offline viewing.

“Additionally, Premium subscribers will automatically receive a premium version of YouTube Music, which enables them to listen to music offline and without ads on the standalone YouTube Music app.

“In addition to YouTube Music, YouTube Premium caters to our dedicated viewers by providing an enhanced viewing environment, empowering them to watch their favorite content seamlessly,” Awofisayo added.