Hormuud Telecom, Get-Phone Launch Somalia’s Largest Smartphone Financing Program

Tuesday May 5, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — In a move that could reshape access to mobile technology in Somalia, Hormuud Telecom on Tuesday unveiled a new partnership with Get-Phone to introduce the country’s first structured smartphone financing plan.

The program is designed to reach millions of low-income Somalis who have long been priced out of internet-enabled handsets, tackling what company officials described as the “affordability gap” that remains the biggest obstacle to digital inclusion. That challenge persists even though 4G service already covers more than 70% of the population.

Under the new model, customers can acquire a smartphone with an upfront deposit of $19 and daily repayments starting at $0.60. The daily fee includes the device installment plus a bundled package of 1GB of data and 40 minutes of voice calls. Currently, the average Somali customer spends $0.50 per day on data and calls alone; the new program allows them to add a smartphone to that daily budget for an additional 10 cents.

“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 praised the initiative as an important step toward financial inclusion and a cornerstone of the country’s Vision 2060 national ambitions.

“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, while eligibility will be assessed using a proprietary credit-scoring system that draws on SIM-usage patterns, opening the door for customers without formal bank accounts. The plan also includes a “family guarantor” feature, which was tested successfully in a February-March pilot in Mogadishu that recorded a default rate of less than 4%.

The first phase is set to place 10,000 devices in users’ hands by June 2026, with the rollout expected to expand to Puntland State and North Western State of Somalia and reach 100,000 devices by the end of the year.

Get-Phone chief executive Omar Abdi said the financing structure is Sharia-compliant and interest-free, with repayment periods of 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 figures from the World Bank and GSMA 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 using 2G feature phones, the new partnership could help spur fresh private investment in Somalia’s rapidly expanding digital infrastructure.