(Ecofin Agency) - The partnership will enable MTN Nigeria to accelerate digital inclusion and smartphone penetration in the country. According to data from the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), the country had 209.9 million mobile subscribers in August 2022.

Telecom operator MTN Nigeria announced, Wednesday,  an agreement with smartphone financing platform Intelligra to allow individuals to purchase 4G and 5G phones and pay in installments. 

Through the partnership, MTN plans to finance up to 1,000 devices per day, starting from 2023, we learn. Subscribers will be able to choose phone brands and models according to their preferences.

The move comes weeks after MTN officially launched 5G in Nigeria. The operator is multiplying initiatives to remove cost barriers since it knows that 5G adoption is slowed by the high cost of 5G-compatible phones.  It recently signed a partnership agreement with Vivo for the manufacture of “affordable” 5G-compatible smartphones. 

“The partnership with Intelligra will drive financial inclusion, the digital goals of financing devices, and making them accessible to the average man. It would also grant customers access to the internet, entertainment, and education and allow users to communicate easily,” said Adia Sowho, MTN Nigeria’s chief marketing officer. 

Isaac K. Kassouwi