Emma Okonji
Airtel Nigeria, SOLO and RenMoney, have announced a joint partnership deal to offer telecoms consumers across the country an opportunity to own premium, quality smartphones for as low as N4,150, which is as good as free of charge.
Under the partnership, customers can subscribe to the special smartphone bundle from Airtel for just N4, 150 per month for a period of 12 months and get the SOLO Aspire M smartphone for free. This special smartphone bundle gives telecoms consumers 1GB data plan; 60 minutes voice call, 60 SMS and unlimited social media access, monthly.
The exciting offer is in line with the partners’ quest to democratise mobile internet access and ownership while empowering more telecoms consumers to connect with the larger society as well as fulfill their personal, professional and business endeavors; uninhibited by rising costs and reducing purchasing power.
Commenting on the partnership with SOLO, Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Ahmad Mokhles, said the telco is committed to creating opportunities that will enable telecoms consumers enjoy the very best of mobile experience by providing innovative solutions that enrich a customers’ life.
“With our wide spectrum coverage and super-fast data services, Airtel is well positioned as Nigeria’s number one mobile Internet Company, offering telecoms consumers bespoke and innovative value offerings that will empower them to succeed in their respective endeavors,” he said.
Speaking on the rationale for the package, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SOLO, Tayo Ogundipe, said: “Accelerating smartphone adoption in Nigeria is critical to delivering the rich experience that SOLO brings to market. Our Partnership with Airtel and RenMoney is designed to change the game and bring to Nigeria, the same mechanism that has propelled Smartphone adoption in developed markets.”
“At a time of difficult economic conditions across Africa, making smartphones affordable especially for the mass market requires fresh thinking and innovative ideas. That is SOLO’s DNA and we are proud to be part of the team that’s delivering this unique solution in Nigeria,” Ogundipe said.
CEO, RenMoney Microfinance Bank Limited, Ian Abrahams, said: “Partnering with Solo and Airtel for this project was an obvious choice as it aligns with RenMoney’s objectives of providing inclusive, convenient and simple money solutions; we have therefore developed a convenient customer experience that is open to all. It’s something we have a passion for, and we are excited about partnering to provide these affordable smartphones to all Nigerians.â€
To fulfill the monthly N4,150 bundle obligations, customers are required to recharge their lines with corresponding airtime value after obtaining the device.
This can be done using physical recharge cards of any denomination. Customers may wish to reserve airtime on their lines before the expiration of their bundle by using the special *486*PIN# to refill airtime directly into the special account reserved for the phone.
With the new offer, customers can walk into Airtel retail outlets or select phone stores across the country to pick up a brand-new SOLO Aspire M.
A security feature that requires the customer to recharge the monthly commitment is installed; but, in the event the subscription expires, the customer needs only enter the recharge PIN for N4,150 into the dial pad that appears on the screen for recharge to happen.
“The SOLO Aspire M smartphone comes with a 5 inch Dual SIM that runs on Android 5.1 operating system, with 8GB ROM, 1GB RAM and 1800 Amp battery. The offer is a pocket-friendly route to ownership of a smartphone with the added benefit of equivalent value of data, voice call and social media access; giving consumers 12 months of consistent service and ownership,” Airtel said.
