Hormuud and Get-Phone launch smartphone financing program in Somalia

Tuesday May 5, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Hormuud Telecom, Somalia’s largest telecommunications company, on Tuesday unveiled a partnership with Get-Phone to introduce the country’s first structured smartphone financing plan.

The program is designed to help millions of low-income Somalis obtain internet-enabled phones for the first time, targeting what officials described as the affordability gap that continues to keep many people out of the digital economy, even as 4G service now reaches more than 70% of the population.

Under the new arrangement, customers can take home a smartphone with a $19 down payment and begin making daily payments from $0.60. That amount covers the device installment as well as a bundle of 1GB of data and 40 minutes of voice calls. At present, the average Somali customer already spends about $0.50 a day on data and calls; the new plan adds a smartphone to that spending for just 10 cents more.

“For 20 years, we have built a network that we believe can transform Somalia,” said Ahmed Yusuf, chairman of Hormuud Telecom. “The barrier is not the mast in the distance; it is the handset in the pocket. Today, we are removing that barrier.”

Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama described the initiative as an important step toward financial inclusion and said it fits into the country’s Vision 2060 national goals.

“A smartphone today is far more than a device; it is a gateway to commerce, education, and opportunity,” Jama said.

Repayments will run through Hormuud’s EVC Plus mobile money platform. The company said eligibility will be assessed using a proprietary credit-scoring system based on SIM-usage patterns, opening the door for customers without formal bank accounts. The plan also includes a “family guarantor” structure, which the company said worked well during a February-March pilot in Mogadishu that recorded a default rate of less than 4%.

The first stage of the rollout is expected to deliver 10,000 phones by June 2026, before expanding to Puntland State and North Western State of Somalia with a goal of 100,000 devices by the end of the year.

Get-Phone CEO Omar Abdi said the financing is Sharia-compliant and interest-free, with repayment periods ranging from six to 12 months. “This program is built on the belief that when you give people access to the right tools at the right price, they will do extraordinary things,” Abdi said.

The launch comes as World Bank and GSMA data show that a 10% rise in broadband penetration can lift GDP by as much as 1.4% in developing economies. With nearly half of Hormuud’s 4 million subscribers still relying on 2G feature phones, the partnership could help accelerate private investment in Somalia’s expanding digital infrastructure.