The internet serves a critical role in our lives. Aside from providing an avenue for entertainment, it defines the sole nature of service delivery and how we carry through our daily tasks ranging from jobs to studying online.
Safaricom, one of the best and the fastest broadband in Kenya, is determined to enhance internet connectivity, and that is why it partnered with Google in 2021 to introduce a smartphone device financing plan dubbed Lipa Mdogo Mdogo.
Lipa Mdogo Mdogo allows customers to purchase a smartphone through the hire purchase method by depositing instalments from as little as Ksh500 and paying a daily fee of Ksh20, but they can change the frequency of payment to either weekly or monthly.
Here is what you need to know about Lipa Mdogo Mdogo phones in Kenya.
Which phones are available for Safaricom Lipa Mdogo Mdogo?
* Neon Ray Pro
* iTel A24
* Tecno Spark 7
* Tecno Camon 17
Who qualifies for Safaricom Lipa Mdogo Mdogo?
Safaricom Lipa Mdogo Mdogo service is open to all prepaid customers, and you can check your eligibility by dialling *544#. However, you need to meet the following criteria first:
* Must be above 18 years and below 75 years of age
* Must be an active Safaricom customer for over a year
* You must not be listed on CRB and have a favourable credit score of your choice of smartphone
* You should not have Okoa Jahazi or Okoa Data
Does Jumia have Lipa Mdogo Mdogo phones?
Yes, Jumia partnered with UK-based telecommunications retailer Follow Me Talk to introduce reliable smartphone financing dubbed ‘Lipa Pole Pole’ in which a customer pays its 50% price as an instalment and proceeds to clear the balance in less than six months.
“This partnership is in line with our mission of changing lives through the internet. We believe that the majority of our customers will greatly benefit from this since purchasing a smartphone can sometimes be expensive. A phone, today, is more than a communication device; it’s a planner, an entertainment centre, and a budgeting tool.
“At Jumia, we seek to bring the best prices in the market, but sometimes it comes at a steep one-off cost. For this reason, we have collaborated with Follow Me Talk to provide our customers with a ‘buy-now-pay-later’ solution. Jumia’s customers will now be able to enjoy a smartphone while paying for it in monthly instalments of up to 6 months,” Jumia’s Head of Financial Services, Nelly Movine, had stated.
How does Lipa Mdogo Mdogo work?
Lipa Mdogo Mdogo is a sort of credit agreement on a hire purchase base; you take an item (for example, a phone), make a deposit and cover the remaining amount in instalments based on the personalised contract plan.
For Instance, Safaricom Lipa Mdogo Mdogo allows you to ‘purchase’ either Neon Ray Pro, iTel A24, Tecno Spark 7 or Tecno Camon 17 after the payment of a designated deposit and a clearly outlined instalments for 12 months.
The table below shows Safaricom Lipa Mdogo Mdogo phones, prices and other market comparisons:
| Lipa Mdogo Mdogo phone | Deposit | Installments | Lipa Mdogo Mdogo price | Average buying price |
| Neon Ray Pro | Ksh500 | * Ksh20 daily
* Ksh140 weekly * Ksh600 monthly |
Ksh7,700 | Ksh5,000 |
| iTel A24 | Ksh500 | * Ksh20 daily
* Ksh140 weekly * Ksh600 monthly |
Ksh7,700 | Ksh4,500 |
| Tecno Spark 7 | Ksh3,000 | * Ksh50 daily
* Ksh350 weekly * Ksh1,500 monthly |
Ksh21,000 | Ksh15,000 |
| Tecno Camon 17 | Ksh5,000 | * Ksh80 daily
* Ksh560 weekly * Ksh2,400 monthly |
Ksh33,800 | Ksh18,000 |
What happens if you fail to pay Lipa Mdogo Mdogo?
Safaricom will daily communicate on loan reminders at 8:00 AM, 12:00 noon and 5:00 PM. If you subscribed to pay the balance in daily instalments and fail to remit the required fee after four days consecutively, your device will be locked, thus limiting its use. On the 7th day, you will be barred from accessing outgoing calls and SMS, and your name will be submitted to CRB for blacklisting.
When you delay for 30 days, you will be disqualified for the service and the phone confiscated for sale subject to the Manufacturer’s limited warranty.
Advantages of Safaricom Lipa Mdogo Mdogo
Here are some reasons why you should pitch into Safaricom Lipa Mdogo Mdogo service:
1. Since the main dealer is Safaricom, you are sure of getting original and authentic smartphones in the market
2. It is the easiest way of ditching your press-button based phone and switching to a smartphone
3. It comes with a free 1GB bundle valid for 30 days
4. It offers a reduced payment that fits your budget through the spreading costs technique where you pay the huge balance in flexible instalments
5. You can always clear all the outstanding balances even before the lapse of the repayment period
Disadvantages of Safaricom Lipa Mdogo Mdogo
1. You do not own the phone until you make the final payment, and you cannot sell the phone to another person
2. Lipa Mdogo Mdogo’s cost is higher than purchasing outright due to ballooned instalments
3. You can lose your phone when you fail to make regular payments, and this will damage your credit score because the names of the defaulters are usually submitted to CRB
4. You cannot pay the daily administrative fee using Safaricom Fuliza, and this can really stretch you financially during a crisis
5. Even when your phone gets lost or stolen, you will continue to pay for it
