So your device is ready for deployment, potential markets have been identified, how do you access Africa?
Africa is made up of 54 Countries divided into 5 geographical regions and is the second largest continent both by size and population, making it an attractive destination for any manufacturer.
However, despite the majority of African Countries (44) subscribing to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the divergence in procedure, requirements and cost of deploying equipment to the market could not be wider.
Generally, manufacturers, vendors and importers of all radio and wireless devices are required to obtain import clearance from either an autonomous regulatory agency responsible for Communications or the relevant line Ministry responsible for Information and Communications Technology.
The precise form of application will vary from Country to Country, while some will require that applicants fill out standard forms in a set out format, others simply require an application letter requesting approval and detailing the specifications of the device.
In some Countries, the applicant could be the device manufacturer, distributor or consultant while others require local representation. Similarly it would be prudent to establish at the offset whether samples of the device would be required for local testing and in what quantities, as this could have a significant impact on the cost of the approval process.
In cases where no samples are required an applicant would normally be required to provide test reports (EU, FCC, other internationally recognized labs; RF, EMC, Safety and SAR) and evidence of approval in other similar or established markets.
A few Countries grant approval on a permanent basis, in the majority of cases though the validity period for type approvals ranges between 1-10 years renewable on expiration. Likewise, the lead times from submission of application to grant of approval varies from a week to a few months in some cases.
Increasingly there are cases across the Continent of regulatory sanction for non-compliance, on importers of medical devices and agricultural components with wireless functionality, any party seeking to import any devices with integrated wireless or mobile technology functionality should therefore ensure compliance with regulations relating to wireless spectrum in the specific Country.
Even though similar considerations including emission power, band range and use of the device are applied in determining authorization of a device, invariably manufacturers will find the same product authorized in on Country is prohibited in the next and exempted in another. The conformity and interoperability initiatives adopted by the ITU continue to ease compliance and lower the cost of doing business in the region, however a party seeking to minimize costs and time would do well to appraise itself on the specific nuances of each target market, well in advance of each project.
We advise you get in touch with us for your step into the African market for easy and smooth market access.
Contact us : info@konantech.net
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