Airtel, Solo Phones, RenMoney to offer Nigerians Affordable Smartphones
Leading telecommunication giant, Airtel Nigeria, mobile phone company, Solo Phones and consumer finance organization, RenMoney have partnered to offer customers the opportunity to own quality smartphones loaded with free calls, data, social media and SMS at affordable prices.
The customer makes an initial payment of N4, 150 at Airtel or any of the partners’ stores, and he/she will get a Solo Aspire M smartphone with 1GB data plan; 60 minutes voice call, 60 SMS and unlimited social media access monthly.
The payment plan is spread over 12 months, which makes it easier for customers to own pocket-friendly, quality smartphones despite the harsh economic realities that has made the prices of smartphones unaffordable to many Nigerians.
Speaking on the initiative, Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Ahmad Mokhles, said the telco is committed to creating opportunities that will enable telecoms consumers enjoy the very best of mobile experience by providing innovative solutions that will enrich customers’ life.
“With our wide spectrum coverage and super-fast data services, Airtel is well positioned as Nigeria’s number one mobile internet company, offering telecoms consumers bespoke and innovative value that will empower them to succeed in their respective endeavours.”
Tayo Ogundipe, Founder/CEO, Solo Phones, on his part said that over 70 per cent of Nigerians still use feature phones, while only about 30 per cent use smartphones, because of the cost.
Ogundipe said that in the developed world, customers have access to cheaper phones and could pay in installments, whereas in Nigeria, the opposite is the case, adding that to change the narrative, Airtel, Solo and RenMoney’s partnership has come to the rescue.
“Accelerating smartphone adoption in Nigeria is critical to delivering the rich experience that Solo brings to market. Our partnership with Airtel and RenMoney is designed to change the game and bring to Nigeria the same mechanism that has propelled smartphone adoption in developed countries.
“At a time of difficult economic conditions across Africa, making smartphones affordable, especially for the mass market requires fresh thinking and innovative ideas. That is Solo’s DNA and we are proud to be part of the team that is delivering this unique solution in Nigeria.
“For us to solve that problem, we have to bring technology with finance and bridge that gap, that is what RenMoney, Airtel and Solo have come together to drive. We are very delighted about the ecosystem we have built. We see significant growth opportunity for us in Nigeria, it is the beginning”, he said.
Also speaking on the initiative, Ian Abrahams, CEO, RenMoney Microfinance Bank Limited, said “Partnering with Solo and Airtel on this project was an obvious choice as it aligns with RenMoney’s objectives of providing inclusive, convenient and simple money solutions. We have, therefore, developed a convenient customer experience that is open to all. It is something we have a passion for, and we are excited about partnering to provide these affordable smartphones to all Nigerians”.
To fulfill the monthly N4, 150 bundle obligations, customers are required to recharge their lines with corresponding airtime value after obtaining the device.
This can be done using physical recharge cards of any denomination. Customers may wish to reserve airtime on their lines before the expiration of their bundle by using the special 486PIN# to refill airtime directly into the special account reserved for the phone.
A security feature that requires the customer to recharge the monthly commitment is installed; but, in the event the subscription expires, the customer needs only enter the recharge PIN for N4, 150 into the dial pad that appears on the screen for recharge to happen.
The Solo Aspire M is a 5inch Dual SIM smartphone that runs on Android 5.1 with 5MP Back Camera, 2MP Front Camera, 1800mAh Battery, 1GB Ram and 8GB ROM (Internal Memory).
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