After years of financing solar, Sun King turns to smartphones in Nigeria

Sun King, an off-grid solar energy company that designs and sells solar products, has launched a pay-as-you-go (PayGo) installment payment model for smartphones, allowing customers to purchase smartphones without paying the full cost upfront.

The company is extending the model, which it has long applied to solar home systems, to enable customers to acquire smartphones from global brands such as Samsung, Tecno and Infinix through small, periodic payments. 

Sun King’s expansion into smartphone financing comes as rising smartphone prices continue to deepen Nigeria’s digital access gap, pushing millions of people out of the digital economy. Currency depreciation and inflation have driven up smartphone prices, making even entry-level devices increasingly unaffordable for low-income households, students and informal workers.

“For years, we have helped Nigerian households and businesses overcome the barrier of high upfront costs for reliable and sustainable solar power,” said Omoyemi Tuga, vice president for pay-as-you-go sales in West and Central Africa at Sun King.  “We are now extending the same approach to smartphones.”

Tuga said combining installment payment plans with the company’s nationwide sales network, which spans all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through community-based agents and retail outlets, would make it easier for customers to own smartphones.

Founded in 2007, Sun King designs and sells off-grid solar products to households and small businesses across Africa and Asia, targeting markets with limited or unreliable electricity access. In October, the company, as part of its efforts to strengthen its operations, set up its largest manufacturing plant in Kenya. It also closed a $40 million equity round in December to accelerate the distribution of its solar system in Sub-Saharan Africa.

For its smartphone PayGo model, the company said it has a range of entry-level and mid-range devices, including the Samsung A06, Tecno Pop 10, and models from Infinix’s Smart and Hot series. Sun King agents or retail shops handle onboarding in person, allowing customers to begin using their devices after making the initial payment.

“For many Nigerians, a smartphone is the primary way to get online, study, find work, run a business, or access everyday services,” the company said. “However, the upfront cost keeps many people, especially young people, women and low-income families from owning the devices they need.”

It argued that its financing model removes one of the biggest barriers to digital participation. Sun King’s new expansion pushes it to join existing players offering smartphone financing in Nigeria through a pay-as-you-go model. Other companies, such as Kenya-based M-KOPA, have long used a similar financing model to sell smartphones and other devices across African markets, including Nigeria. Local players like CD Care also offer device financing and after-sales services through installment plans, targeting consumers who cannot afford upfront purchases. 

Sun King did not disclose key commercial details for its PayGo model for smartphones, including interest rates, repayment duration, default thresholds or enforcement mechanisms for the instalment plans.