Small Batteries Tap Huge African Market

The Chinese-made ‘Rhinoceros’ battery has been released in Kenya.

Wang Tiancheng, deputy head of the state-owned company, said the market demand for batteries is enormous in Africa. The ‘Rhinoceros’ has a market share of 40% in Kenya alone. It is also sold in Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia, Ethiopia and other neighboring countries

The company is planning to increase five production lines in its Kenya-based factory to double its production capacity, and is preparing to open an office in Gambia to exploit the market in western African.

While China’s domestic battery market was on the verge of saturation in 1993, Africa appears to be a market with great potential, and a shortage of thermal power brings about a huge demand for batteries. Yet there are few battery plants on the continent and the majority of batteries are imported.