In early November, Nairobi, Kenya's capital, is in its short rainy season. At Sarit Centre in the Westlands district, foot traffic has not dropped despite the rain. Opened in 1983, the mall was Kenya's first shopping mall and remains one of Nairobi's busiest retail landmarks.

Beside the checkout exit of Carrefour, the busiest spot in the mall, a vivo store from Guangdong stands out. Inside, young sales assistant Maureen Cherotich Samoo is introducing the display models to a young couple. The store opened just this April. "Business has been steady since launch," she says.

Why vivo? Samoo's answer offers a straightforward picture of what consumers in the African mobile phone market need most. "Power supply is unstable in some areas, so customers specifically look for phones with large batteries, such as the Y500," she says. In places where power infrastructure is still underdeveloped and outages are common, a battery that can last two or three days is a genuine necessity.

"Waterproof handsets are also popular," she says, gesturing toward the rainy sky outside. "Rains are heavy in the wet season, and many customers work around water, so waterproof phones matter a lot to them."

In 2025, Guangdong's imports and exports with Africa exceeded 300 billion yuan, up 10.7% year on year. Products such as electrical equipment and household appliances from Guangdong continue to gain popularity in African markets. Mobile phones are one example: Guangdong brands have become some of the most visible and widely seen choices on Nairobi's streets. TRANSSION has long led the market, while other Guangdong brands, including OPPO, HONOR and vivo, are expanding their presence.

内罗毕人气最旺商场里，藏着宝藏广货

11月初的肯尼亚首都内罗毕正值短雨季，韦斯特兰兹区（Westlands）的萨利特购物中心里，人流并未因雨水减少。这座1983年开业的商场是肯尼亚历史上第一家购物中心，至今仍是内罗毕最热闹的消费地标之一。

在整个商场人气最旺的家乐福超市收银台出口旁边，来自广东的vivo门店格外显眼。店内，年轻的店员莫琳·切罗蒂奇·萨穆（Maureen Cherotich Samoo）正向一对年轻夫妇介绍柜台里的样机——这是今年4月才开出的新店，“开业以来，生意一直不错”。

为什么选vivo？萨穆的回答勾勒出非洲手机市场最朴素的需求图谱。“有些地方供电不稳定，顾客专门冲着大电池来，比如Y500。”她说。在电力基础设施尚不完善、停电时有发生的环境里，一块能撑两三天的大电池，是实打实的刚需。

“还有人要防水的。”窗外正飘着雨，她指了指天，“雨季雨大，还有人工作中经常接触水，防水手机对他们很重要。”

2025年，广东与非洲进出口额超过3000亿元、同比增长10.7%，广东的电工器材、家用电器等产品持续走俏非洲市场。以手机为例，广东品牌已成为内罗毕街头最耀眼也是最普遍的选择。除传音常年领跑外，OPPO、荣耀、vivo等广东品牌也在加速进入。

统筹 | 孙晶 孙绮曼
文 | 记者 王丹阳
图 | 记者 曾育文
翻译 | 郑书悦
审校 | 曾敏