General News
Gionee Brands will Checkmate Fake Phones, Other Devices-Nwabueze
Gabriel Nwabueze, is a senior executive of Gionee Communications Equipment Limited.
In the last two years Gionee, a Chinese company has been studying the Nigerian mobile device market with the intention of addressing some challenges associated with quality of devices flooding into the country.
The company also has comprehensive plan to combat the e-wastes surge; research and development (R&D); and development of local talents. Nwabueze spoke to peter ugwu on these and other issues.
About Gionee Communications Limited
Gionee is an international brand. We started in Nigeria about two years ago.
We have plans for Nigeria and other African countries; we want to enrich the market with products that could satisfy the people and at affordable prices.
We are the first to launch such slimmest Smartphone and feature ones; we are launching deeper into the market with the slimmest phones and long lasting battery lives.
We have also recorded a number of firsts in terms of quality of our devices and meeting the consumers demand.
We are also bringing in mass intelligence and feature mobile phones for the customers’ convince. We know the existing level of mobile devices in the market.
Since 2011, Gionee had rapidly moved for branding in Nigeria, Vietnam, Taiwan, Myanmar, India, Thailand, Philippines, and so on.
And once launched one product, it soon became a best seller in the market, even in some cities and countries customers need to wait for new deliveries. Gionee is a hot word as everyone is talking about where to buy one. Gionee is working speedily for the number one brand which is most welcomed by customers.
What Makes Your Devices Unique?
Before we launch into the market we usually carry out feasibility studies to ascertain the desires of the consumers; this lasts up to six months.
So we have seen that Nigerians like quality and they want devices that the battery life can last due to the power challenges.
At the stage of designing the phones, we tried to use material that can be converted to other use after several years of the phone’s life.
How do I mean, we are coming in not as other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) whose primary objective has been to flood the market with devices without thinking on how to give back to the society.
We are coming in with a different business mindset. We are working toward partnering the government and institutions to unleash our plans for the market, which are going to benefit the people.
Gionee as a brand is recognizable as durable, long standby and easy to use, Gionee now is featured with new tags like fashionable, stylish, and premium user experience.
Many Asian super stars have high praise for Gionee products and they are willing to tell people how nice the products are.
As a matter of emphasis, we have been able to understand what the Nigerian market loves and what the users tend to align themselves with.
Competition in the Nigerian Market
The Smartphone industry in Nigeria is actually been beclouded by brands that are there to just launch devices.
Most time, they end up encouraging digital divide among the people.
How do I mean? When you are producing high end devices without considering those below the cadre definitely some people will believe you are not for them.
So, we have feature phones that can meet the needs of those people and add value to what their do, their social lives, among other.
Meanwhile, a tight partnership with MediaTek and Qualcomm allows Gionee to offer a wide product portfolio covering both low end feature phone and high end Smartphone.
As all products are designed and manufactured by Gionee and as the company is only working with tier-1 suppliers, Gionee is awarded the Best Quality Mobile Phone Manufacturer in China.
Local Partnership
Presently, we are into partnership with one of the major local telecommunication company. Surely, we are going to deepen our relationship, embrace as many as that would come to around.
In fact, in the couple of months we have seen tremendous enthusiasm among some industry players, that is the among the telecoms who have approached us, we have made presentations to them as regards the functionality, durability and integrity of our phones, they are willing to partner with us.
The interest has been massive since we launched into the market. It is a win-win situation for both parties, because it is like a contract for mutual benefits.
Of course, there are tenets in every relationship. We can always add some extra agreement, if need be. So, presently we can boost of having local backings and the market is ripe for us.
Research and Development (R&D) Platform
In Gionee we believe that technology entails the strength of an enterprise and R&D is the key to sharpen the competitive edge of mobile phone industry chain roundly.
Gionee has over 10,000 employees, out of which 1000 belong to R&D and 8000 belong to the factory. So, we shall always insist on the strategy of independent R&D and innovation.
At present, Gionee’s R&D system mainly comprises six professional R&D organs: Application R&D Institute, Smartphone R&D Institute, overseas BU R&D Institute, CDMA R&D Institute, GOSO R&D Institute and AORA R&D Institute.
As a matter of fact, persistence in quality is the impetus for Gionee’s sustained development. With deep R & D as core, lean manufacturing as foundation, outstanding after-sale service as guarantee and high-tech products as core competitiveness, Gionee has kept developing practical and handy products.
Gionee has persisted in independent R & D by establishing professional R & D institutions in cities like Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou, thus ensuring its outstanding R & D performance.
Form of Your R&D in Nigeria
For now, we know that the Nigerian market has suffered so much in terms of people who turn it into a dumping ground; they come with the intention to dump their e-wastes here, which is unwholesome.
Therefore, in our discussions with the regulatory bodies like the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), we had some preliminary talks on the need for Gionee to have some investments in the form of R&D in Nigeria.
Although in Nigeria, it is still at preliminary stage, but it is something we have been doing, and we replicate same in all the places we have established strong relationships and strong presence. We hope to achieve that in Nigeria in the nearest future. In essence we are looking at tackling the issue of e-waste as may come from our side.
Nevertheless, statistics showed that for every one thousand unit of Gionee phones sold, we do not record up to ten damages, meaning that our phones are durable and that is the first step to tackle e-waste.
Gionee has over the years built a strong reputation and we do not intend to tarnish it in Nigeria. We cannot be part of the people that do that; we are going to represent our brand and image even in Nigeria.
Challenges in the Last Two Years in Nigeria
One of the challenges is actually the issue of grey material which cuts across the products not limited to phones.
They copy and normally the sub-standards are replicated.
The problem is usually that the original equipment manufacturers cannot actually affect a control over their products.
We are here to phase out such practice, bringing in originality and quality.
The only people that actually help to affect control are those in government; however in Gionee due to our excellence in R&D we are very innovative and can adapt, create a change tailored towards more customers’ satisfaction.
Plans to Manufacture Tablets and Notes
We are actually discussing on growth issues and it will be an excitement moment when we eventually go into that.
Developing Local Talents
Already we have Nigerians working with us and they are doing excellently well. Of course a company launching into any market with the intention of surviving there must embrace the local talents.
So, the answer is yes. At the same time, our products are meant to satisfy the local consumers and we are not going to leave Nigeria behind in the quest to achieve that. And that will give us a leverage to grow.
Following our strong international presence and reputation, we hope to establish a strong presence in Nigeria as well, thereby erasing the impression that all products from China are inferior. It is not true and we are going to prove to the people that genuine, durable and long lasting devices are coming from our factory.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned four persons before the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged money laundering scheme involving $5.3 million.
The defendants — Bamidele Ayodele Emmanuel, Abdullah Oriyomi, Garuba Fathiat Funmilayo and Gbenro Victor Ademola — were arraigned before Justice F. N. Ogazi of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi on separate two-count charges bordering on money laundering.
According to the anti-graft agency, the alleged offence involved a total of $5,296,691 and contravenes the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
One of the charges against Emmanuel alleged that between January 1 and 31, 2025, he retained $826,691 in a Wema Bank account, which he allegedly ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activities.
The EFCC alleged that the act was contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
All four defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them.
Following their pleas, Bilkisu Buhari, prosecution counsel, told the court that investigations showed the defendants admitted handing over their personal details to one Afeez Animashaun, who allegedly approached them at Mushin Market in Lagos, where they carried out their businesses.
According to the prosecution, the personal information was used to register several companies, including College Compass Eduguide Nigeria Limited, Hortifresh Solutions Nigeria Limited, Eduboost Innovation Nigeria Limited and Fixit Hardware and Tools Nigeria Limited.
The EFCC further alleged that corporate bank accounts were opened in the names of the companies and used to receive millions of dollars within January 2025.
Buhari told the court that the arrangement enabled the actual operators of the companies to remain anonymous while facilitating the movement of suspicious funds through Nigeria’s financial system.
She urged the court to convict the defendants based on their guilty pleas and impose appropriate sentences.
Justice Ogazi ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility and adjourned the matter until August 4, 2026, for judgment.
Dele Oye, chairman, Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics (AERE), has raised the alarm that an estimated eight million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) shut down across Nigeria between January 2023 and June 2024, representing about 20 per cent of the country’s estimated 40 million SMEs.
Dele Oye, chairman, Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics
He also warned that the scale of the collapse exposes a deepening crisis in the sector, describing it as an existential threat to Nigeria’s economic foundation.
He disclosed the figures in a policy brief titled “The Gap: Nigeria’s Industrial Policy 2025 vs. The Lived Reality of SMEs.”
According to Oye, research consistently shows that as many as 95 per cent of Nigerian SMEs fail within their first five years of operation, highlighting the urgent need for policies that go beyond design to effective implementation.
Quoting Femi Egbesola, national president of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), Oye described the situation as a humanitarian crisis.
“Many businesses simply cannot cope with the harsh economic environment. Owners are closing their shops, unable to meet loan obligations or manage skyrocketing operational costs. Several people have died under the pressure; others are in the hospital. It’s a humanitarian crisis,” Egbesola said.
Oye identified three major factors driving SME failures: macroeconomic instability, limited access to affordable finance and soaring energy costs.
He, however, commended the Federal Government’s newly introduced Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025 (NIP2025), describing it as an ambitious framework designed to reposition the country’s manufacturing sector.
On the policy championed by the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, minister of State for Industry, explained that it seeks to raise manufacturing’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 15 per cent by 2030 and 25 per cent by 2035, while boosting exports, creating jobs and positioning Nigeria as Africa’s leading industrial hub.
Oye noted that the policy rightly recognises MSMEs as central to achieving those objectives, pointing out that the sector contributes 46.32 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and accounts for about 87.9 per cent of total employment.
He said the policy promises single-digit loans, industrial clusters, technology incubation centres, skills development programmes and fiscal incentives aimed at supporting businesses.
Despite these commitments, Oye argued that there remains a wide gap between policy intentions and the realities confronting entrepreneurs.
“For millions of Nigerian entrepreneurs struggling to survive, the NIP2025 reads less like a practical roadmap and more like a distant promise,” he said.
According to him, inflation, which climbed to 33.4 per cent in July 2024, persistent naira depreciation and the removal of fuel subsidies have sharply increased production and transportation costs, forcing many SMEs to downsize their workforce by as much as 70 per cent.
He also lamented the limited access to affordable financing, noting that only between 15 and 20 per cent of SMEs have access to formal bank credit. Where loans are available, he said, lending rates now exceed 35 per cent, making borrowing unsustainable for most small businesses.
Energy shortages remain another major burden, with businesses enduring prolonged power outages and relying heavily on generators.
Oye noted that diesel costs alone consume as much as 30 per cent of revenue for many SMEs.
He argued that previous industrial policies failed largely because of weak implementation rather than the absence of good ideas.
According to him, although government interventions have increased credit availability over the years, most SMEs use borrowed funds to cover operational expenses such as rent, inventory and energy costs instead of expanding production because of the difficult business environment.
To reverse the trend, Oye called on the Federal Government to declare an SME emergency and introduce targeted measures, including genuine single-digit interest loans, energy support for productive sectors and a moratorium on multiple taxation by state and local governments.
He also recommended loan products that align with SME cash flow cycles through longer repayment periods, revenue-based financing and appropriate grace periods.
In addition, he urged the government to prioritise the development of SME industrial clusters by providing reliable electricity, water, roads and security in selected locations within one year.
Oye further called for greater transparency through the National Industrial Development Monitoring System (NIDMS), recommending quarterly publication of detailed data on SME financing, beneficiaries, sectors and employment outcomes.
While describing Senator Enoh’s advocacy for NIP2025 as commendable, Oye stressed that Nigeria’s entrepreneurs need effective implementation rather than another policy document.
He said the policy would only succeed if it delivers tangible benefits to business owners, including bakery operators struggling with rising costs, transport operators forced to cut jobs because of higher diesel prices and artisans fighting to keep their businesses afloat.
“The ambition is right, the execution must now match it.”
MENXTT TECH NG, a Lagos-based technology company, has launched an initiative to make quality Dell laptops more affordable for Nigerians through flexible payment plans and extended warranty support.
The company said the initiative was aimed at helping students, entrepreneurs, professionals and small businesses acquire reliable computing devices despite rising technology costs.
According to the company, customers can now purchase premium pre-owned Dell Latitude, Dell Precision and Dell Inspiron laptops at competitive prices, with selected models available under staggered payment arrangements.
The laptops, it said, are designed to meet the needs of users ranging from students and office workers to architects, engineers, software developers, graphic designers and video editors.
Speaking on the initiative, the Co-Founder of MENXTT TECH NG, Mr Anthony Emeka Nwosu, said access to quality technology should not be limited by financial constraints.
“A laptop is no longer a luxury; it is an essential tool for education, business and career development.
“Unfortunately, many people are forced to settle for unreliable devices because of the high cost of new laptops.
“At MENXTT TECH NG, we want to bridge that gap by providing durable Dell business laptops at affordable prices, backed by a full one-year warranty and flexible payment plans.
“We want every student, entrepreneur, freelancer and business owner to have access to technology that helps them succeed,” he said.
Nwosu explained that every laptop undergoes comprehensive testing before delivery and comes with a one-year warranty, an original charger, a complimentary laptop bag, Windows 11 operating system and Microsoft Office Suite pre-installed.
He added that the company, an authorised Bitdefender Antivirus reseller in Nigeria, also installs genuine Bitdefender security software on every system to protect customers against cyber threats.
According to him, customers requiring additional productivity tools can also have licensed Foxit PDF software installed on their devices.
Nwosu said the flexible payment option was introduced in response to prevailing economic realities, enabling customers to spread payments over an agreed period.
He noted that the arrangement would make it easier for students, startups and growing businesses to acquire quality computers without placing excessive pressure on their finances.
Beyond laptop sales, the company provides information technology consultancy, computer repairs, software licensing, cybersecurity solutions and digital transformation services to organisations across Nigeria.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s digital economy by making dependable computing devices and enterprise technology solutions more accessible to individuals and businesses.
According to him, the initiative reflects MENXTT TECH NG’s vision of combining affordability, quality products and professional after-sales support to help more Nigerians participate in the country’s expanding digital ecosystem. (NAN)
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