M-KOPA Urges Govt to Zero-Rate Locally Manufactured Smartphones to Boost Production

M-KOPA, an African fintech company, has called for the zero-rating of locally manufactured smartphones to attract manufacturers to Ghana, create jobs for the youth and reduce the country’s dependence on imported devices.

The company said the policy would help retain foreign exchange, ease pressure on the cedi and stimulate local production, while making smartphones more affordable and accessible to people in the informal sector.

M-KOPA provides financing for smartphones, electric motorbikes and digital financial services to underserved populations, particularly low-income earners and people whose incomes are irregular.

The General Manager of M-KOPA Ghana, Ms Chioma Agogo, made the call in an interview with The Ghanaian Times on smartphone adoption and its growing importance to workers in the informal economy.

She cited Kenya as an example, where M-KOPA opened what she described as Africa’s largest smartphone assembly factory in 2023, employing more than 450 people. Read More.

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