Honor Highlights Africa’s Potential as a Key Player in Global Technology at Africa Tech Festival
Cape Town, South Africa – November 14, 2025
During a panel discussion at the Africa Tech Festival held in Cape Town on November 12, 2025, Fred Zhou, CEO of Honor, emphasized Africa’s crucial role in shaping the future of technology. Speaking alongside industry leaders, Zhou underscored the importance of collaboration between technology manufacturers and local partners to expand digital access across the continent.
“As the original equipment manufacturer, the starting point for us is to produce products that serve as gateways for consumers to access the Internet and the digital world,” Zhou explained. He highlighted Honor’s strong partnerships with network operators across African countries, which enable the company to distribute its devices effectively. “We leverage the channels of partners like Vodacom to ensure our products reach consumers, providing easy access and hands-on experience in stores.”
Zhou stressed the delicate balance between affordability and quality in delivering devices to African consumers. While entry-level smartphones priced between $40 (approximately R680) and $50 (about R850) may be financially accessible, he warned such devices often come with compromised durability and subpar specifications. “Devices that break within a few months or have batteries that don’t last cause frustration and hinder access to the digital world,” Zhou noted. “We aim to strike a balance that offers affordability without sacrificing usability.”
Supporting this perspective, Andisa Ntsubane, Managing Executive of Brand, Marketing, and Communications at Vodacom Group, highlighted infrastructural challenges on the continent. Ntsubane revealed that approximately 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, a fundamental barrier to digital inclusion. Only 37% of the continent’s population currently has internet connectivity. “This represents a tremendous opportunity to drive inclusivity and connect more people,” he said. Vodacom’s approach focuses on continued network expansion—having already rolled out 11,000 base stations across its eight African markets—strategic partnerships to improve rural coverage, and initiatives aimed at reducing costs to enhance affordability.
Vusi Thembekwayo, CEO of MyGrowthFund Venture Partners Group, articulated the broader significance of expanding African digital infrastructure now. He observed that historically, Africa has been excluded from major technological evolutions—from early web technologies to cloud computing, blockchain, machine learning, Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence. “Africa has missed out on opportunities to shape key technology phases,” Thembekwayo said. He stressed the importance of building indigenous infrastructure and capacity, noting that solutions developed for African markets are often highly adaptable and exportable worldwide, while the reverse is not always true.
Thembekwayo expressed optimism about partnerships like those between Vodacom and Honor, viewing them as critical to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across the continent. “This is our chance to empower builders, innovators, startups, and businesses to solve real problems here and influence technology globally,” he remarked.
The discussions at Africa Tech Festival highlighted a shared vision among technology providers, network operators, and investors: that Africa is poised to not only catch up with but actively contribute to shaping the next wave of global digital transformation. Expanding affordable access to reliable hardware and network infrastructure is a foundational step toward unlocking the continent’s vast technological potential.
About Africa Tech Festival:
Africa Tech Festival is a premier technology event bringing together innovators, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders to explore and advance the digital economy across Africa.
About Honor:
Honor is a global technology brand specializing in smartphones and smart devices, committed to delivering quality products that connect people worldwide.
About Vodacom Group:
Vodacom is a leading African mobile communications company operating across eight markets, focused on expanding network coverage and digital inclusion.
About MyGrowthFund Venture Partners Group:
MyGrowthFund supports African entrepreneurs through venture capital investment, aiming to fuel innovation and sustainable economic growth across the continent.
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