Wiko enters into smartphone deal with Safaricom

What you need to know:

French smartphone maker, Wiko Mobile, on Monday said it had signed a partnership with Safaricom to stock and sell its 4G phone dubbed Wiko Ridge.
The device will sell for Sh19,999 inclusive of 4GB Safaricom data and 8GB memory card.
Wiko Mobile currently has several brands under its stable that include Wiko Highway, Wiko Highway Fine and Wiko Rainbow.

French smartphone maker, Wiko Mobile, on Monday said it had signed a partnership with Safaricom to stock and sell its 4G phone dubbed Wiko Ridge.

Wiko country manager John Mutwiri told the Business Daily that the device would be selling for Sh19,999 inclusive of 4GB Safaricom data and 8GB memory card.

“Our core market targets the youth and the middle-aged who are conversant with the latest mobile phone technology,” he said.

“We will be introducing other high technology phones in the next two to three weeks in the local market.”

Wiko is majority-owned by a technology group named Tinno Mobile.

Until the partnership with Safaricom, Wiko had been selling its brands through its 200 distributors across the country.

The latest sign up with the telecom giant is set to increase its market visibility and credibility.

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“We are aware that the cost of devices can be a barrier for access for some of our subscribers and in our push to democratise data, we have actively set out to identify devices that are more affordable,” said Safaricom director for consumer business Sylvia Mulinge regarding the partnership with Wiko.

Wiko Mobile currently has several brands under its stable that include Wiko Highway, Wiko Highway Fine and Wiko Rainbow.

The phone maker entered into the Kenyan market last year where it announced plans to deepen its market strategies in Nigeria, Poland, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.