Kenya: Consumer microcredit is gaining ground in the smartphone market
November 6th 2026
Smartphones have become the primary internet access device for Kenyan internet users. However, their price continues to limit ownership for a portion of the population, particularly in rural areas, thus encouraging the development of installment payment plans.
Mogo, a company specializing in equipment financing, announced on Tuesday, November 4th, a partnership with Chinese manufacturer ZTE and its Kenyan distributor RSC to offer smartphones in Kenya with installment payment options. The scheme allows customers to purchase the ZTE Blade V80 Max with an initial deposit starting at 100 Kenyan shillings (approximately $0.77), then pay off the remaining balance through daily installments over a period of up to twelve months.
Applications are processed in under 20 minutes, subject to verification and approval. Customers must present a national identity card and a six-month M-Pesa account statement. Reimbursements are then tracked through the Mogo app. The offer applies to ZTE devices available at participating stores.
Smartphones whose price has increased significantly
The proposed financing targets a market where the cost of devices has increased considerably. According to data from the analysis firm Canalys, the average selling price of a smartphone in Kenya has risen from 5,955 KES in 2019 to 18,979 KES in 2025. It has thus more than tripled in six years.
This increase comes at a time when smartphones occupy a central place in the digital habits of Kenyan internet users. According to data from the Communications Authority of Kenya, 98.2% of internet users used a smartphone to access the internet between January and March 2026. The number of smartphone connections to mobile networks reached 50.2 million at the end of the quarter, compared to 48.7 million in December 2025.
Access to devices is a prerequisite for digital inclusion.
This predominance of smartphones among internet users does not, however, mean that the entire population uses mobile internet. A study by the GSMA and the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa, published in October 2026, indicates that 68% of adults surveyed in urban areas use this service, compared to 49% in rural areas. Among those who are aware of mobile internet but do not use it, the cost of acquiring a compatible phone is the main obstacle cited.
Device financing addresses this challenge by spreading payments over several months rather than requiring the full price upfront. This approach can make it easier for low-income households, as well as small business owners and entrepreneurs who use their phones to communicate with customers, sell products, or receive digital payments, to acquire devices.
Mogo says it has helped more than 400,000 Kenyans acquire smartphones since entering this segment, a year before the announcement of the partnership with ZTE and RSC.
Samira Njoya
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