Watu Credit and Jumia Group have teamed up to make a calculated move to increase smartphone access in Kenya by offering flexible payment options.
Thanks to the partnership, customers can now buy smartphones on Jumia and pay with mobile money in daily, weekly, or monthly installments.
This lowers the upfront cost barrier that has traditionally prevented some people from purchasing high-quality devices.
A considerable percentage of Kenyans still use subpar smartphones despite the country’s 80 per cent smartphone penetration rate at the time of this initiative.
Benefits of the initiative
This collaboration will make high-end smartphone brands like Samsung more widely available, assisting new and current customers upgrade to dependable gadgets that are increasingly essential for social connectivity, business, education, and healthcare.
Watu Credit’s IoT-enabled financing model locks devices to balance affordability and sustainability if payments are not made.
This initiative has a lot of socioeconomic potential in addition to convenience. By providing buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) options for high-end smartphones, Jumia and Watu enable families, delivery workers, students, and small business owners to engage more fully in the digital economy. Reliable gadgets are now more than just means of communication; they also facilitate education, digital literacy, and income growth. The essential first step in closing Kenya’s digital divide is this collaboration.
Jumia-Watu Credit partnership enhances digital inclusion
Vinod Goel, Regional CEO for East Africa at Jumia, highlighted that smartphones continue to be one of the company’s best-selling product categories and that this collaboration directly advances the company’s objective of promoting digital inclusion.
With plans to expand direct online financing, the rollout will start with agent-facilitated access, allowing customers to choose devices, finish KYC online, and have their purchases delivered without any problems.
By incorporating Watu’s financing solutions, Jumia is establishing itself as a marketplace and an engine of economic empowerment.
Since 2022, Watu has funded almost two million devices in Kenya, demonstrating the model’s impact and scalability.