Lenovo is planning to introduce its first smartphones in Africa, with the launch planned in Nigeria by late 2013, as part of its efforts to expand into markets where it can directly sell its products to customers.
The technology firm selected Nigeria to launch a new smartphone because it does not have to deal with domestic telecommunications firms to sell its handsets.
Lenovo Africa general manager Graham Braum said Nigeria is coming toward the end of the year and then the company will move over to the rest of Africa.
"We’re trying to sell off the shelf," Braum said. "We’ve picked the open market."
Lenovo is working on mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets, to lure users from Apple and Samsung Electronics and endure a global fall in PC demand.
In April 2013, the Japanese firm NEC held talks with Lenovo for the sale of its struggling mobile phone division, as part of its efforts to increase profitability upon two years of regular quarterly financial losses as well as a decreasing market share.
