Battered and bruised, a flailing RIM seeks to find refuge where the novelties of the west have not yet reached. The once booming Canadian manufacturer of smartphones is on the offensive in Nigeria, where Blackberries are still the novelty must-have among youth and businessmen.
Within Africa, Nigeria is the most populous nation, with about 40 per cent of its population aged 14 and under, majority of which are fixated on owning a Blackberry. With so many local competitors and an emerging black market for Blackberry products RIM cannot afford to miss the opportunity to set up legitimate shops.
I believe that Africa is RIM’s last shot at survival over the next 5 years. With continuously declining sales and massive mounting losses, the company must radically re-strategize before it is too late. By taking advantage of the growing middle class in Africa, RIM can establish itself as the local provider of phone services, and possibly expand to dominate as the largest network provider. Especially in a place like Nigeria, the price of monthly mobile phone service – with unlimited access to BBM, Facebook, and Twitter – is cheaper than regular internet access subscription.
The battle for North America is lost, and the steady decline of RIM only shows the need for change, and as the mobile world is changing rapidly, the question remains, will Africa be RIM’s last stand?
RIM has struggled to keep up in the North American market of smartphone technology. I feel that in finding a different market which the newest technology has not been able to reach yet, RIM will benefit greatly and enjoy much less competition from its rivals in North America.
Africa is a strong place for the company to expand to because it is a market which has been thus far relatively untapped. If the area shows great interest in Blackberry products then I see the situation as a great opportunity for RIM to capitalize on the untapped consumer base and make profit more easier than it is in North America due to an overcrowded market.