The Deputy General Manager, Tecno Mobile Limited, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo, speaks to OZIOMA UBABUKOH about Tecno’s investments in the country and widespread counterfeiting of its products

How much has Tecno invested in the plant it is building in Nigeria?

There is a budget, which I may not be able to disclose in public at this moment. But the final investment figure will still be known by the end of the day. This project is something that our management is very keen about and they are pushing very hard to ensure that it is achieved.

Is it a manufacturing or an assembly plant and what is going to happen within the first phase of the project?

We are building both manufacturing and assembly plants. By the time we complete the first phase, we should be able to start manufacturing and assembling Tecno phones in Nigeria. Don’t forget that we are still at the pre-investment stage right now and we are collating all sorts of information to help us accomplish this. We have been working on this since last year. We have already secured the land and have started preparing the site at Epe in Lagos here where it is located and we have to go through processes to get the necessary approvals. We are making sure that we get everything ready to make sure that this project comes to fruition.

Doing business in Nigeria is very difficult. What are the challenges you are facing?

One of the biggest challenges we are facing in Nigeria is faking of Tecno products. We will appreciate if the authorities can continue to support us in fighting the influx of fake products into Nigerian market.

Specifically, what kind of support do you expect from government?

The Nigerian government has always been supportive to us. We hope that we will get more government’s support in the future since we are fully committed to the Nigerian market.

When should we expect the first made-in-Nigeria Tecno phone?

It is expected that once the first phase of the plant is completed in the third or fourth quarter of this year, we will have the first batch of made- in-Nigeria Tecno phones.

Tecno has been recording success in Nigeria and other African markets where they operate, what can you say are the success factors? What has Tecno been doing differently?

At Tecno, we have been working very hard to make sure that we bring in products that are needed by Nigerians. We as a brand have been focusing on the African markets and we also have been focusing a lot on the Nigerian market. We have our research and development team always around and taking feedback from our users and we try to produce phones that are tailored towards what the Nigerian consumer needs. You will realise that our product is Africa/Nigeria-centric so that when you use our products, you will realise that they are truly made for the African market. Also, things like our after-sales support centres make it possible for our customers to get all the help they need since contact information is also loaded on our devices. We make products that are truly relevant and needed by the Nigerian consumers. Also, we have tried to get close to the market and the consumers that we serve. We pay attention to what are needed in trying to ensure that these products are useful in the hands of the consumers. We have also built a very strong team in Nigeria that is supporting our business all over the country. Again, don’t forget that our products, both our feature and smart phones, come with whole lots of features that are comparable to our global competitors, yet people don’t have to rip their pockets to purchase these products. They are very affordable devices. This has made it possible for Nigerians to have access to products that are able to help them to do whatever they want to These are the factors that have brought us to the level we are in today.

Does the affordability of Tecno not affecting quality?

Tecno products are undoubtedly made with quality materials. And there is a proof of originality and authenticity of the products that we put out to sell and, of course, these products also undergo all sorts of approval processes in the country before they are sold in the Nigerian market. So before these phones are sold, we carry a lot of quality assurance tests on the products to make sure that we are not bringing substandard products to the Nigerian market while keeping our products affordable. We want to see that more Nigerians use quality and affordable mobile devices to enhance their lifestyle wherever they are and in whatever they do.

Samsung is not the first maker of a smart, net-connected TV to run into problems with the data the set collects. In late 2013, a United Kingdom Information Technology consultant found his LG TV was gathering information about his viewing habits.

Publicity about the issue led LG to create a software update, which ensured data collection was turned off for those who did not want to share information.

Source: www.punchng.com/business

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