Engie Energy Access Rwanda and Samsung have entered into a strategic partnership to launch a campaign that will see Rwandans own high quality Samsung smartphones at affordable prices and convenient payment plans.
The campaign, dubbed “Ni Umuti” was launched this September 6, 2024 in Kigali City and it comes as a way of contributing to the country’s ambition to ensure that Rwandans own a smartphone especially that the country has managed to increase internet coverage.
According to the fifth Rwanda population and housing Census – 2022 (RPHC 2022), the mobile phone penetration rate in Rwanda stands at 87.4% the report states however ownership of smartphones remains limited.
The “Ni Umuti” campaign was introduced to solve this challenge by enabling more Rwandans to acquire entry level and latest Samsung smartphones from 11 Engie Energy Access Rwanda’s Service Centers and over 300 agents located across the country.
Through this partnership, Samsung smartphones that will be available range from Samsung Galaxy A04, Samsung Galaxy A05, Samsung Galaxy A05s, Samsung Galaxy A15, Samsung Galaxy A35 5G, Samsung Galaxy A55 5G, Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra smartphones.
Unlike other smartphone payment plans, customers will have the convenience to make daily, weekly or monthly instalments and will have the possibility to purchase Samsung smartphones with affordable payment plans from as little as Rwf600 but also bundle the purchase of Engie Energy Access Rwanda’s solar systems with Samsung smartphones at an affordable cost.
Patrick Mugabo
“The payment plans will be as flexible as possible. Even if one has Rwf600, they will be able to pay for the loan installment until the purchased smartphone is fully paid” said Patrick Mugabo, Head of Operations at Engie Energy Access Rwanda.
Additionally, customers can call Engie Energy Access Rwanda’s Toll Free line 2345 for more information but also inform the service provider about any financial difficulties, thus making the service convenient to many economic clusters.
Patrick Adjiwanou, Managing Director at Engie Energy Access Rwanda emphasized that this new partnership supports their mission of providing access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable clean energy to Rwandans living in underserved communities.
“We have impacted thousands of households and businesses, providing them with the tools they need to thrive in today’s economy. Adding the smartphones to their welfare is a way of responding to their demands for basic needs,” Adjiwanou said.
Patrick Adjiwanou
Engie Energy Access Rwanda is a subsidiary of ENGIE, a global leader in energy solutions, dedicated to providing affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy access to underserved communities.
With a focus on innovation, customer-centric solutions, and a commitment to improving lives, Engie Energy Access Rwanda plays a crucial role in transforming energy access across the country.
Anthony Hutia Mungai, Head of Mobile Experience at Samsung Electronics East Africa stated that this is a long lasting partnership as they plan on reaching more customers.
Artistes
“As Samsung, we are a brand that places our customers at the heart of everything we do. This approach guides our innovation as well as the partnerships we drive, one such partnership is with Engie Energy Access,” Mungai said.
Samsung is a global transformative technologies company redefining the worlds of smart living with smartphones ,TVs, wearable devices, tablets, home appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions among others.
“We are consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation, setting new standards in the smartphone industry and we want all Rwandans to experience this technology. That is why the Buy Now Pay later model is integral to our business strategy,” Mungai noted.
Beneficiary
Diane Uwase, an Engie Energy Access Rwanda’s agent and Samsung smartphone user in Rwanda said that she is confident that her experience will be key in enticing more people to buy similar phones with a flexible and tangible repayment plan.
