Burkina Faso: The Prime Minister, Dr Apollinaire Joachimson Kyelem de Tambèla, granted an audience to Horizon industries, the first electronics assembly plant in the sub-region
The Prime Minister, Dr Apollinaire Joachimson Kyelem de Tambèla, granted an audience to Horizon industries, the first electronics assembly plant in the sub-region, on Tuesday 11 July 2023. He encouraged the company for its vision, which is in line with the government’s policy of endogenous production.
Inaugurated on April, 29th, 2022, Horizon Industries SA is the first electronics assembly and production plant in Burkina Faso and the sub-region.
According to Serge Eloi Ouédraogo, Director of Horizon Industries SA, the company, located in the Kossodo industrial estate in the eastern part of Ouagadougou, markets a number of products, including mobile phones and computers.
«To date, we have two models of small phones and two models of Android phones on the market. We have three models of computer for the “One student, one computer” programme. We’re delighted with the feedback we’re getting on our products. We hope that, little by little, we will be able to occupy a much more important place on the market in Burkina Faso, but also in the sub-region», he explained at the end of the audience.
According to him, Horizon Industries SA is a Burkinabè company that emphasises local expertise.
« All the products we assemble, whether telephones or computers, are made by young people from Burkina Faso. Our technicians are young Burkinabè who have been trained in vocational training centres and schools in Burkina Faso. The average age of our technicians is 24 or 25, and just over 65% of them are girls», he added.
He also pointed out that the company pays particular attention to the quality of its products, all of which are certified by the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI), the Made in Burkina label and the « Autorité de Régulation des Communications électroniques et des Postes » (ARCEP).
As for the future, the Director of Horizon Industries SA revealed that the company plans to market tablets for pupils and students.
The Prime Minister, Dr Apollinaire Joachimson Kyelem de Tambèla, was impressed by this local know-how and congratulated the company’s directors on this initiative.
While encouraging them, he indicated that the opening of this factory is in line with the government’s policy of endogenous production.
«You can’t emerge by following the road mapped out by others, according to their own interests. We encourage you to go for quality, because if the quality is there, despite the competition, you will be able to emerge», highlighted the Head of Government.
He went on to say that the government’s desire to limit the importation of foreign products is hampered by the regulations of certain organisations such as the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), in particular the free movement of people and goods.
«We are in the process of reviewing our texts to encourage national industry, but we cannot go against WAEMU texts. We want to encourage national production, but we are limited by our regional commitments. Nevertheless, we are going to continue to think, with subtlety, to find solutions», said the Prime Minister.
Diallo Damba
