Pakistan’s domestic mobile manufacturing industry continued its upward trend in September 2024 and manufactured 2.15 million mobile units, up by 44% compared to August 2024 and a constant growth trajectory for the past year as per the report of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
In the first nine months of 2024 (9M2024), local production stood at 22.59 million units, a year-on-year increase of 74%. This significant growth is attributed to local assembly, especially due to import restrictions and high import taxes that were experienced in the previous year. The market increased by 35% in the same period of 2022, due to the economic recovery and the demand for locally assembled devices.
Of the 22.59 million units produced in 9M2024, smartphones accounted for 61% (13.86 million units), with 2G feature phones making up the remaining 39% (8.73 million units). The local mobile manufacturing brands are Infinix with 2.79 million units, Itel with 2.75 million units, VGO Tel with 2.43 million units, Vivo with 2.13 million units, Tecno with 2.03 million units, Xiaomi with 1.89 million units, Realme with 1.35 million units, G’Five with 1.09 million units, Samsung with 0.98 million units and Nokia with 0.96 million units.
Tecno and Xiaomi, both manufactured by Air Link Communication (AIRLINK), experienced monthly growth in September 2024. Tecno increased from 0.03 million units to 0.04 million units, a 33% increase while Xiaomi, grew from 0.06 million units to 0.13 million units, a 117% increase.
The PTA estimates that the total mobile phone demand could be 33 million units in 2024, a 44% increase from 22.9 million units in 2023 and an 18% sales tax on all mobile devices proposed in the FY2025 budget.
