Vodacom partners with NMB, Google on smartphone financing

DAR ES SALAAM: A NEW tripartite partnership between Vodacom Tanzania, NMB Bank and Google is set to strengthen the digital revolution by providing affordable smartphones in the country.

With an initial down payment of 20,000/-, qualifying Vodacom customers will have access to 4G capable devices, opening them to possibilities and opportunities provided by the internet.

The new initiative between with NMB and Android, Google’s operating system for mobile, is in line with the government’s vision of driving an inclusive digital society.

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“We endeavour to put one million 4G smartphones in the hands of customers in this financial year alone, thereby contributing to narrowing the internet usage gap in the country,” said Hilda Bujiku, Vodacom Tanzania Finance Director.

Device financing paves way for accessing a smartphone with easy and affordable daily or weekly instalments, for as low as 900/- all the while enjoying all the benefits that come with being digitally connected.

Martin Njoroge, Head of Android Platform Partnerships for East Africa said the partnership will leverage the capabilities of a new device management feature of the Android OS while that of NMB will see many Tanzanians having access to owning smartphones while mitigating the risks.

“We believe that this collaboration with Vodacom will bring more Tanzanians online and help them take advantage of the opportunities that exist online,” Mr Njoroge said.

NMB Chief Retail Banking Filbert Mponzi, said Vodacom will provide their customers with a smartphone financing plan and upgrade them from feature phones to smartphones and pay on flexible loan instalment plans.

“This also augurs well with our digital inclusion drive dubbed Teleza Kidigitali,” he said.

In case of defaulting, Vodacom will lock the device if a customer fails to pay the daily amount. However, when the phone is locked the customer will still be able to access customer care, M-PESA and the Kiosk App.

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