Onome Amuge
itel has tightened its grip on the budget-smartphone segment after its SUPER 26 Ultra handset was named “Best Curved Display and AI-Powered Smartphone of the Year” at the 2025 Nigeria Technology Awards (NiTA).
The event, hosted by Beta Media Group recently at the VirginRose Resort in Lagos, convened senior figures across Nigeria’s technology sector to recognise advances in product design, innovation and market development.
The accolade reflects the SUPER 26 Ultra’s curved-screen architecture and expanded suite of AI-driven functions spanning imaging, system performance, personalisation and device security. While consumer expectations in the mass-market smartphone category continue to climb, itel has sought to differentiate itself by offering features associated with higher-priced flagship models at more accessible price points.
Executives at the company said the award forms part of a strategy to build brand visibility and reinforce consumer trust in a crowded and highly price-sensitive market. The device is positioned as a growth lever among younger, value-oriented buyers who dominate smartphone adoption trends across emerging markets.
Dolapo Olorun-nimbe, ATL marketing manager at itel Mobile Nigeria, said the recognition validates the company’s push to close the gap between premium design and mass-market affordability. “The SUPER 26 Ultra, with its curved display and intelligent features, reflects our commitment to blending style, innovation and accessibility,” she said, adding that the award would strengthen momentum behind the brand.
Terngu Simeon Shagba, PR supervisor at the company, said the NiTA award also serves as a signal to the wider industry. “It demonstrates that our efforts to stay ahead in innovation and deliver value-driven smartphones are being acknowledged at the highest level,” he said.
The company has accumulated a string of awards for the model. In November, the SUPER 26 Ultra was named “Best Curved Display Phone Under N260,000” at the 2025 Africa Tech Alliance Excellence Awards.
itel is seeking to leverage these recognitions to consolidate its role as a technology-empowerment brand across Africa. With the SUPER 26 Ultra, the company aims to expand its footprint among first-time smartphone buyers and upgrade users, while signalling that more advanced devices are in the pipeline as competition intensifies in the continent’s fast-growing handset market.
