Arkadia Mall in Cairo Downtown is set to launch the first wholesale mobile accessories and devices hub in Egypt. The under-establishment Association of Mobile Accessories Importers made the announcement during a press conference on Monday.
The mall will open 60 mobile accessories shops as a first stage on 29 January, with 60 other shops set to be launched during the next three months.
The association represents the largest wholesalers and importers specialising in mobile accessories in Egypt. They are represented by the delegated committee which includes: Essam Badr El-Din, head of the Communications and Mobile Division at the Cairo Chamber of Commerce; Ahmed Wahdan, Chairperson of Cell Import, owner of the brands Cactus and Cell Tel; in addition to Hisham Abo Salamah, owner of Trust Mobile accessories
Ali Tolba, Chairperson of Delta Company and owner of the RadioShack chain, said that this step targets all wholesalers and importers working in the field of mobile phones. They will now fall under the umbrella of a comprehensive economic system set up by the government, which would have a positive impact on all concerned parties.
Essam Badr El-Din, HiPhone head and of the Communications and Mobile Division at the Giza Chamber of Commerce, said that Egypt’s official market size for mobile phone accessories was about EGP 1bn at the beginning of 2020. He noted that this represents only 50% of the total size of the country’s accessories market.
Speaking on the sidelines of the press conference, Badr El-Din revealed that cooperation is taking place between the Association and the Arkadia Mall’s management, as well as former owners of the units.
He said that this comes in line with the experiences of mobile accessories malls in India and China, and paves the way for an organised and formal business environment for Egypt’s mobile accessories market.
Hisham Abdallah Abo Shama, owner of Trust Mobile Accessories Company, added that the Association aims to grow and develop in various shopping centres by pumping investments in rentals and goods.
Wahdan added that this step will contribute to regulating the trade in mobile accessories, and that the door is open for all companies and major importers to become part of the association.
For his part, Osama Habib, Chairperson of the Arkadia Mall’s management company, Tasweeq Shopping Malls, said that the mall administration will provide all resources of success for this new entity.
