Oppo eyes bigger share in Kenya after global growth

NAIROBI, KENYA- Phone maker Oppo is expanding its business in Kenya as part of its global strategy to accelerate growth in various markets globally.

OPPO had a strong finish in 2016, growing 133 percent in the global smartphones market, according to the latest results from independent research firm IDC. Consequently, OPPO accounted for 6.8 percent of the global smartphone market in 2016, and had four straight quarters of more than 100 percent year-on-year growth.

Mr Andrew Peng, OPPO Kenya CEO, says the company has been accelerating its global expansion since last year, extending its business to 26 countries. He said OPPO has established a marketing centre in Egypt to support expansions in Kenya, other African markets as well as the Middle East.

The OPPO mobile brand entered the Kenya market silently last year, and has been making inroads in the highly competitive market, riding on its highly-developed camera technology. The company expects to double its market share this year.

According to Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), mobile subscription has hit 90% mark, with about 40 million Kenyans connected to a mobile network. “This presents a huge market for smartphones in Kenya and with the economy growing, we expect steady demand for phone across the various budget segments,” said Mr Andrew.

On Monday, at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017, OPPO launched the groundbreaking “5x Dual Camera Zoom” technology, the world’s first periscope-style dual-camera technology for smartphones, as the firm pushes the limits in mobile camera possibilities.