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.