MTN Nigeria has said device affordability remained a significant barrier to digital inclusion in the country. It said while the cost of smartphones has decreased globally, the upfront cost remains a hurdle for many Nigerians.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, however, restated the telco’s commitment to make smartphone affordable to Nigerians so as to deepen digital inclusion in the country. He highlighted the challenges and opportunities in the local market and outlined MTN’s strategies to promote digital inclusion. Toriola also highlighted the potential of local assembly and financing schemes to further reduce the cost of smartphones.
He said MTN is partnering several companies in Africa to develop the device financing ecosystem, stressing that this approach, combined with mobile money and credit scoring, can make smartphones more affordable for Nigerians.
MTN’s partnership with Intelligra, an open platform for smartphone financing, is a key part of MTN’s strategy to make smartphones more affordable to the average Nigerian.
Source : Nation Newspaper
