Smart Africa has signed an agreement with KaiOS Technologies, sparking a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating digital innovation and driving sustainable development across the African continent. This agreement also marks the official membership of KaiOS Technologies in the Pan-African alliance.
As part of this collaboration, KaiOS and Smart Africa will use their combined expertise, resources and networks to advance digital inclusion. This partnership ensures that previously unconnected citizens can access essential digital services such as messaging, news, entertainment and education through affordable and reliable KaiOS-enabled smartphones with internet access. The partnership also aims to empower businesses by delivering affordable merchant payment terminals leveraging KaiOS smartphone technologies, thereby enabling underserved merchants to accept digital payments and manage their businesses efficiently.
Additionally, the partnership will collaborate with governments to provide guidance to member states, working with existing digital inclusion programs to accelerate current initiatives. This effort will include engagement with local communities and stakeholders to tailor solutions to specific needs. The focus will be on providing leading social media applications, educational resources, training programs and related agricultural support to Farmers who will have access to essential agricultural information such as weather forecasts, pest and disease management and market prices. This enables them to make informed decisions, leading to better crop yields and benefits.
Lacina Koné, CEO of Smart Africa
Increasing access to smart devices is essential to driving digital transformation. Without them, individuals remain cut off from the opportunities presented by the digital realm. We therefore welcome KaiOS as a new member to support our efforts in addressing access and affordability barriers, ensuring inclusion and empowerment for all.
Dale Strydom, Business Development Director MEA of KaiOS
We are excited about this partnership as it aims to reduce the digital divide by providing smartphones with internet-enabled features, addressing the challenges of 2G to 4G migration and providing access to social, educational, agricultural and mobile money. Our motto, ‘Enable Tomorrow’, highlights our commitment to empowering people with the tools they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Together, we aim to improve education, healthcare and economic opportunity across Africa.
