Kenya is set to introduce a groundbreaking initiative by rolling out one million affordably priced smartphones, assembled locally, within the next two months.
The smartphones, priced at Sh5,484 ($40) each, are aimed at enhancing digital access and inclusion for the population.
This move according to the ICT Cabinet Secretary, Eliud Owalo, is to address the challenge of limited digital inclusion caused by the high cost of smart devices.
He emphasized that through collaboration with the private sector, low-cost smartphones will be assembled at the Konza Technopolis in Malili, Machakos County.
Feasibility studies have shown that these smartphones can be produced locally at a unit cost of approximately $40.
The official launch of the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) week in Nairobi witnessed the announcement, with the first batch of smartphones expected to be available to the public in two months’ time.
