How two Francophone founders are turning second-hand iPhones into a tech business

Title: How two Francophone founders are turning second-hand iPhones into a tech business

Key Content:
On a continent where millions remain excluded from quality technology, Maguelone Biau and Kadia Faye bet that the solution isn't cheaper new devices, but giving the best ones a second life. Their startup, Sikili, sells certified refurbished smartphones and electronics in Abidjan and Dakar: iPhones, Samsungs, MacBooks, tested on 65 control points, covered by 12-month warranty and delivered in 48 hours. Up to 40% cheaper than new, with local after-sales service.

In Francophone Africa, smartphone penetration varies from well under 20% in the poorest countries to about 45-60% in major markets like Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Cameroon. In 2024, GSMA estimated an entry-level smartphone cost about 26% of average monthly income in sub-Saharan Africa.

Maguelone Biau is Franco-Ivorian who arrived in Côte d'Ivoire after a career in France and never left. After nine years in Abidjan and a failed first startup, she methodically searched for a new idea using remaining investor funds. Refurbished tech was booming globally, especially in Latin America and Asia, but West Africa had an obvious gap.

Kadia Faye is Senegalese with nearly a decade at Philip Morris, Samsung, then Canon across markets from Mauritius to West Africa. She had developed solid expertise in retail, B2B and marketing. A mutual contact connected them; their first conversation lasted 45 minutes. After months of weekly calls while Faye was still at Canon, she visited Abidjan and left knowing Canon wasn't her future, but Maguelone was. She resigned upon returning to Dakar.

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BRIGHTWIRE ARTICLE

TITLE: Two Women Bring Affordable iPhones to West Africa

SUMMARY: A Franco-Ivorian and Senegalese entrepreneur are making quality smartphones accessible across West Africa through certified refurbished devices sold at 40% less than new. Sikili is building the circular economy one iPhone at a time in markets where smartphones cost 26% of average monthly income.

CONTENT:

Quality technology shouldn't be a luxury reserved for the wealthy, and two West African entrepreneurs are proving it doesn't have to be.

Maguelone Biau and Kadia Faye launched Sikili to sell certified refurbished smartphones and electronics in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, and Dakar, Senegal. Every iPhone, Samsung, and MacBook passes 65 quality control checks, comes with a 12-month warranty, and arrives within 48 hours at up to 40% below new prices.

The need is urgent. In Francophone Africa, smartphone ownership ranges from under 20% in the poorest nations to just 45-60% in major markets. An entry-level smartphone costs about 26% of average monthly income across sub-Saharan Africa, making even basic devices unaffordable for millions.

Biau, a Franco-Ivorian who settled in Abidjan nine years ago, spotted the opportunity after her first startup failed. Rather than give up, she used remaining investor funds to research new ideas methodically. Refurbished tech was booming worldwide but completely absent in West Africa.

She found her perfect partner in Faye, a Senegalese marketing expert with nearly a decade at Samsung and Canon. A mutual investor introduced them, and their first conversation lasted 45 minutes.

"It was like matchmaking," Faye recalls. "It was fluid, we seemed aligned on things."

They talked weekly for months while Faye still worked at Canon. When Faye visited Abidjan for a work event and met Biau in person for the first time, everything clicked. She resigned from Canon as soon as she returned to Dakar.

The Ripple Effect

Sikili represents more than affordable phones. It's a concrete model for what the circular economy could look like in West Africa, built from scratch by two women across two countries.

Their approach tackles multiple challenges at once. Customers get quality devices they can actually afford with local after-sales support and real warranties. The environment benefits from extended product lifecycles instead of electronic waste. Local jobs get created in testing, repairs, and customer service.

The partnership itself shows the power of complementary skills. Biau brought entrepreneurial grit and market research; Faye delivered retail expertise and commercial strength. Together they're building consumer trust in markets where logistics are uneven and skepticism runs high.

On a continent where millions live in areas covered by mobile broadband but can't access the internet because they can't afford smartphones, Sikili is opening doors. Every certified refurbished device puts quality technology in someone's hands and brings them one step closer to digital opportunity.

Two founders, two cities, one mission: proving that everyone deserves access to technology that works.