Safaricom’s device financing initiative Lipa Mdogo Mdogo has issued 1 million 4G devices since its launch in a move aimed at improving access to internet opportunities to all in Kenya.

“We launched Lipa Mdogo Mdogo, a device financing initiative that will continue to provide device affordability options. Over 1 million customers who would not have afforded a 4G device now own a 4G device thanks to Lipa Mdogo Mdogo,” said George Njuguna – Director IT Safaricom at the ongoing Connect Summit 2023.

Launched three years ago, Lipa Mdogo Mdogo, Safaricom’s the $20 a day smartphone loan program was launched in partnership with Google to democratize data to facilitate its universal access. It requires continually working towards bridging the digital divide.

“We know that a mobile phone is not just a communication device: it is a powerful tool for tackling society’s most pressing challenges, facilitating inclusive and sustainable development,” said Njuguna. During the launch, telco said it had plans to convert about 4 million 2G and 3G-enabled handsets to 4G in order to increase it’s data business. Safaricom had seen a rise in profit in data and the more 4G devices the better its revenues.

Njuguna was speaking at the 12^th Edition of the Connected Summit, a one-stop thought leadership forum for the information and communication technology (ICT) industry in Kenya. In this forum, stakeholders are able to appreciate the state of the art in ICT, not just in the country, but across the globe. The Summit aims to put Kenya on the global weighing scales of ICT and to determine its weight, place, and worth.

The Summit has also been touted to play a decisive role in the development of “A Connected Africa and part of the change agents initiating transformation and introducing a digital philosophy in Africa. Speaking during the launch, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the Connected Summit is important to Africa as Africa presents a variety of economic opportunities in virtually every sector from its youthful population structure, digital transformation and smartphone penetration due to various partnerships including device financing and local assembly plants.

Safaricom has also cut prices of its 4th Generation (4G ) Wi-Fi routers by up to 40 per cent to accelerate the uptake of home internet and the reliance on expensive fibre optic cables. Safaricom in a notice to its customers said, it’s time for customers to enjoy movies galore, gaming with friends and so much more on 4G Wi-Fi.

The Adrian router will now go for Sh5,999 down from Sh9,999 while the Huawei router will cost Sh6,999 from Sh10,999.On purchase, each of the two routers come with 30GB of free data valid for 30 days. Customers are free to apply online on My Safaricom App for the router of their choice, pay for it remotely and have it delivered to their homes for set up or opt for a walk in purchase at the Safaricom Shops or dealer shops.

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