Lenovo's smartphones enter new markets, will challenge Samsung and Apple in Africa

As of 2013, Lenovo is one of the world’s top 5 smartphone makers, following Samsung, Apple, Huawei and LG. The Chinese company - which, as you may know, is the globe’s leading PC vendor - certainly wants it smartphone business to grow even more, and that’s why it agreed to buy Motorola Mobility from Google for $2.9 billion. Still, until the Moto buyout is completed, Lenovo is getting ready to enter new markets with its own smartphones.

Come March, Lenovo will launch smartphones in Nigeria, where Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Nokia and others are already commercializing their handsets. With more than 150 million mobile users, Nigeria is Africa’s largest mobile market, so it is a key country in the region.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Lenovo will begin selling handsets in Nigeria in the first week of next month. It’s going to release no less than 7 smartphones, including the ultra-thin Vibe X (pictured above), the S930 and the S650 - all running Android.

After Nigeria, Lenovo will enter other African markets.


Lenovo is still far from the world’s top two smartphone makers (Samsung and Apple) when it comes to sales numbers, but a successful presence in Africa may help closing in the gap.


source: Bloomberg Businessweek