ASUS strengthens presence in East Africa

AsusTek Computer Inc, or ASUS, a multinational computer and phone hardware and electronics company based in China's Taiwan, is betting on the Kenyan market to boost its market share in the wider East African region by launching new laptop models ZenBook, VivoBook and TUF Gaming on Thursday in the capital Nairobi.

Bora Aras, the firm's regional manager for Africa, Israel and Turkey, said boosting the company's operations in Kenya was an essential part of expanding its footprint in the region.

"ASUS is making a concerted effort to tap into the growing opportunities in Africa and bolster its operations in the region with strategic investments," Aras explained. "This is an important first step toward unlocking the East African region and eventually expanding our presence in the African continent."

Benjamin Yeh, the ASUS general manager for PC & Gaming, said the company was banking on its innovation prowess to capture and grow the Kenyan market.

"Kenya is one of the promising and key markets for ASUS in Africa and we are happy to launch our latest products in Nairobi today. At ASUS, we strongly believe that our passion for new technologies fits perfectly with Africa's young and ambitious population's expectations," said Yeh.

ASUS now controls 20 percent of the PC market in Kenya and hopes to grow this by introducing highly innovative products and an expanded presence.

"We also seek to serve and eventually develop other regional markets like Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda out of Kenya," said Simplice Zaongo, the business development manager for eastern and southern Africa, and added that the response of the Kenyan market to its products has been positive.

ASUS also runs operations in Nigeria and South Africa.