Major telecom companies in Uganda, Airtel, and MTN have partnered together with other companies like d-light Uganda to sell smartphones on hire purchase to increase the adoption of smartphones in Uganda.
Based on 2021, GSMA, a global association that represents the interests of mobile network operators with over 750 members released a report that highlighted that Uganda had a smartphone adoption of 16 percent, marked lower than the 30 percent average for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Coming after d-light Uganda partnered with Airtel Uganda launching a program that offers affordable smartphones intended to extend access to the opportunities of the internet to many Ugandans.
Offering the hire purchase plans for buying of the phones is to commence in a deposit with a complete payment following in a period of 365 days that’s one year.
“Our partnership with d-light Uganda Limited is timely and will enable more people to access the opportunities of the internet without having to pay upfront for smartphones”, says Henry Njoroge Kamau, the Marketing Director, Airtel Uganda.
Njoroge Kamau points out that phones are like minicomputers deeming the possibility of enabling one to conduct online businesses which are some of the benefits that will boost the growth of different sectors in Uganda.
According to Douglas Gavala, Managing Director at, d-light Uganda Limited, the partnership with Airtel Uganda, will go a long way in increasing smartphone penetration in Uganda and across the region since communication is a key driver of development.
MTN and M-KOPA having partnered have also enabled the sale of over 70,000 smartphones on M-KOPA’s fintech platform, which has financed over two million customers across Africa.
Giving the customers options for a daily, weekly, or monthly payment plan for any of the devices they choose to purchase from among Samsung, and Nokia smartphones.
Ian Mugambe, the MTN Uganda High-Value Segment Marketing Manager, said that the partnership is aimed at enabling the public to acquire smartphones in the most financially convenient way that doesn’t affect their cash flow.
Hence availing the cheaper means of attaining mobile phones will ease the burden since most people lack smartphones because of their high cost of purchase.
