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Silicon Industries Corporation Technology (SICO), Egypt’s first smartphone manufacturer, is set to roll out in other African countries, including Nigeria, D.R. Congo, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Morocco and Mozambique by the end of this year or early next year.

Earlier in February, the company launched SICO mobile phones as the first local brand in Egypt with $23 million investment. The mobile phones, made from 45 percent local components, are being manufactured at the company’s factory in New Assiut Park, Egypt.

The Sales Director of SICO, Mahmoud Ali, told Reuters that there is a huge demand for affordable phones in Africa, which makes it a promising market.

“We will mostly sell smartphones in the $50 to $60 price range to African customers outside Egypt,” he said.

The smartphone company expects to triple its total production from 500,000 units in 2018 to 1.5 million units in 2019. 40 percent, or the equivalent of 600,000, of the total units will be exported; while 60 percent, or the equivalent of 900,000, will be sold locally. The company also wants to expand its market share in Egypt from about 4 percent to 12-15 percent in 2019.

“We hope to export to customers in Africa than in the Gulf next year,” said Ali. “We are working with several operators and hoping that the phones will be available at their branches at the end of 2018 or early 2019.”

He added that plans are underway to introduce new phones in 2019, to bring the total number of products to 14. SICO currently offers six products, including the Nile X, Plus 2 3G/4G, Win Tab, SICO Tab 3 and Tab 3 Go, and the GITEX.