GSMA’s $40 smartphone pilot skips Kenya: A lesson from Safaricom Neon experiment?
The GSMA's $30-$40 smartphones are targeting an initial six African countries, namely DRC, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda...
✨ Key Highlights
The GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition has launched a pilot program to offer 4G smartphones for just $40 in six African countries, notably excluding Kenya.
- GSMA, involving operators like Airtel, MTN, and Vodacom, aims to bridge Africa's mobile internet usage gap.
- Kenya's exclusion is linked to the underperformance of its previous Safaricom Neon experiment, which missed the target price point.
- The pilot faces challenges from global memory shortages, potentially impacting the feasibility of the $40 price point and future $20 goal.
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Safaricom’s Ziidi Reaches 4.3 Million Users, Wins Best FinTech at MWC 2026 - March 2026
Safaricom's innovative mobile money market fund, Ziidi, has achieved remarkable growth, reaching 4.3 million users and earning the prestigious 'Best FinTech & Digital Commerce Innovation' award at MWC 2026 in Barcelona. Huawei has been revealed as the technical backbone behind Safaricom's highly successful Ziidi wealth platform, providing the technical infrastructure. At the same MWC 2026 event, Infinix launched its new flagship smartphone, the NOTE 60 Ultra, featuring a striking supercar-inspired design with a 7000mAh battery and 100W fast charging. Additionally, the GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition launched a pilot program to offer 4G smartphones for just $40 in six African countries, notably excluding Kenya, highlighting differing approaches to mobile device accessibility at the global tech conference.
