How a Chinese Company Came to Dominate Africa's Cell Phone Market

 Sixth Tone published on 5 October 2026 an article titled "The Transsion Story: How a Chinese Firm Conquered Africa's Tech Market" by Cai Yiwen.  

China's Transsion makes nearly half of all the cell phones bought in Africa, beating competition from Samsung, Apple, and Huawei.  The phones meet basic communication needs of low-income users with features adapted specifically for the African market. 

Chinese Smartphone Maker Captures African Market

The South China Morning Post published on 1 August 2017 an article titled "How Chinese Smartphone Makers Compete with Samsung and Apple in Overseas Markets" by Meng Jing.

The article reports that Transsion Holdings, a China-based phone maker, has captured more than 40 percent of the mobile phone market in Sub-Saharan African countries by pricing below Samsung and Apple and offering headset features designed specifically for African needs.