Hormuud Telecom has partnered with Mogadishu-based Get-Phone to launch a smartphone financing programme aimed at helping low-income Somalis gain access to smartphones and mobile internet services.
The initiative is designed to tackle one of the biggest barriers to digital access in low-income markets: the high cost of smartphones and mobile data compared to average incomes.
Under the new model, users can access both a smartphone and a daily package of 1GB of data and 40 minutes of calls for $0.60 per day. Previously, many customers already spent around $0.50 daily for the same amount of data and call time without receiving a device.
The programme targets lower-income users earning an average monthly income of about $150. Organisers say the aim is to make smartphones more affordable and increase access to digital services across the country.
Salah Ahmed Jama said smartphones have become important tools for education, business, and financial inclusion.
“A smartphone today is far more than a device; it is a gateway to commerce, education, financial inclusion, and opportunity,” he said during the launch.
The first phase of the programme will distribute 10,000 smartphones by June 2026, with plans to expand to 100,000 devices before the end of the year. Expansion is also planned across Puntland and Somaliland.
Ahmed Yusuf said the initiative is intended to unlock the full value of Somalia’s growing telecom infrastructure.
“For twenty years, we have built a network that we believe can transform Somalia. The barrier is not the mast in the distance; it is the handset in the pocket,” he said.
Hormuud has invested heavily in Somalia’s telecom sector over the past two decades, including fibre optic infrastructure, subsea cable investments, and the launch of the country’s first 5G service. The company says more than 70 per cent of Somalia’s population now has access to 4G internet coverage.
Omar Abdi described the initiative as a way to support entrepreneurship and economic opportunity in Somalia by making digital tools more accessible.
The financing model was first tested in a pilot programme in Mogadishu between February and March 2026. According to the companies, the pilot recorded default rates below 4 per cent and showed strong demand among low-income users.
In several cases, family members acted as guarantors for relatives living in rural and nomadic communities, helping extend smartphone access while lowering financial risk.
The initiative also supports Somalia’s Vision 2060 development agenda, which aims to expand digital inclusion, economic participation, and access to technology-driven services across the country.
