By Juliet Umeh

MTN Nigeria has sealed a Buy Now Pay Later, BNPL, partnership deal with an open platform for smartphone financing, INTELLIGRA to allow growth of smartphone ownership in Nigeria to rise to 60 percent by 2025.

The BNPL initiative, according to the telecom company, will fill the gap, where Nigeria has the highest number of internet users in Africa, as data shows that the country still has one of the highest average costs of smartphones.

To enjoy the offer, interested customers can check their qualification status at participating stores or from the comfort of their homes online through MTN and Intelligra’s websites. 

Other partners will offer these online qualification checks on their websites in the coming days. Once qualified, a customer can subscribe to any of the customized MTN device financing plans and leave the store with a dream phone.

The offer is a pocket-friendly route to owning a smartphone and by walking into any select MTN, SLOT and other retail stores across the country, MTN customers can acquire quality smartphones without breaking the bank.   The offer comes with added benefits of monthly data allowance and voice call minutes, tenor periods (up to 12 months), increased financed amount (up to N500,000) and device protection against theft and screen damage.

Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Adia Sowho, said during the partnership deal that: “Nigerians spend over 30 percent of their monthly income to purchase one, and this endangers Nigeria’s 2025 broadband penetration target.

Sowho said: “With this partnership, customers will have the opportunity to subscribe to any of the MTN bundle plans for as low as N7, 000 per month and walk away with a smartphone of their choice. They can pay over six to 12 months with as little as N0 initial deposit.

“Plans are bundled with up to 100GB of data and 250 voice minutes monthly, redeem a one-time free screen replacement when broken and receive a one-time free phone replacement when stolen, provided the customer has an active and up-to-date subscription.”

He also believes that 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.

CEO/Founder, Intelligra Solutions Ltd, Tayo Ogundipe, said: “This partnership with MTN, the foremost telecom provider in Africa and collaborations with financing institutions including StanbicIBTC, VFD Mfb, Personal Trust Mfb, Credit Direct Ltd and others has helped find a solution to smartphone penetration for Africans through increased digital and financial inclusion. The ecosystem also includes leading smartphone retail chains in Nigeria, SLOT and other major retail players across the country.

These collaborations offer MTN users across the country, a unique, convenient, simple and flexible variant of BNPL with their choice of premium, quality brands including Samsung, Nokia, Tecno, Infinix and iTel models.”