Nokia introduces solar phone charger in Nigeria

Government officials and telecom operators in Nigeria have heaped praise on Nokia for the introduction of a solar phone charger. They believe the move will help to sustain continued growth in the mobile industry and offer users in rural areas a new opportunity to access mobile phones.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) told IT News Africa/Bikyamasr.com that the move should boost efforts to increase mobile penetration within rural areas and “where there is not electricity in all homes, this new charger can alleviate the issue dramatically.”


Nokia said in a press statement that the DC-40 portable solar charger is now available in the country. Industry experts feel that this could help solve many of the problems that have plagued the country’s efforts to extend mobile phone penetration to rural areas.

“It is a pilot product designed and marketed by Nokia to test the viability of solar charging as an alternative mobile phone charging system,” said a report in The Punch, announcing the new charger.

With the NCC demanding telecom operators improve customer service and mobile operators complaining about a lack of rural access, the charger could be the boost the sector needs to enter previously untouched markets.