Meet the business leader backing Kenya’s affordable smartphone revolution

As Kenya works to bring more people into the digital economy, one business leader is helping make smartphones more accessible through local manufacturing.

Joshua Chepkwony, chairman of East Africa Device Assembly Kenya (EADAK), is backing a growing effort to assemble affordable smartphones in Kenya, supporting the country’s push to expand access to 4G and 5G services.

The latest sign of that progress came with EADAK assembling 700,000 digital devices during the financial year ended March 2026, according to figures disclosed by Vodacom Group, the parent company of Safaricom.

The milestone highlights how local manufacturing is becoming an important part of Kenya’s digital transformation strategy. As mobile operators continue investing in faster broadband networks, affordable smartphones are increasingly seen as the missing link that will enable millions of people to access online education, digital banking, e-commerce and government services.

EADAK is a joint venture involving Jamii Telecommunications Limited (JTL), Safaricom and Chinese technology partner TeleOne. The company was established to assemble smartphones and other digital devices locally, reducing reliance on imports while making internet-enabled devices more affordable for Kenyan consumers.

The assembly plant has an annual production capacity of up to three million devices and produces entry-level 4G smartphones that retail from about KSh7,499. The company also assembles educational tablets and biometric devices used by financial service providers.

To further improve affordability, customers can purchase smartphones through financing plans that spread payments over several months, reducing the upfront cost of owning a device.

For Chepkwony, the project reflects the growing role of partnerships between the private sector and government in expanding digital access across Kenya.

“This assembly plant will support government’s agenda to enhance digital inclusion in the country. We have been able to achieve affordability through a collaborative approach that comprises industry partnership and favourable government policies,” he said.

Chepkwony is also the founder of Jamii Telecommunications, whose Faiba brand is one of Kenya’s telecommunications operators. Through its participation in EADAK, the company is extending its role beyond network infrastructure into device assembly, recognising that wider smartphone ownership is essential for increasing internet adoption.

The timing is significant. Kenya has continued expanding its 4G coverage while gradually rolling out 5G services. Yet many consumers still rely on basic mobile phones that cannot access high-speed mobile internet.

Industry experts say that lowering the cost of smartphones will be critical to increasing digital inclusion. While network infrastructure has improved considerably, millions of people remain unable to take full advantage of digital services because internet-enabled devices remain out of reach.

Local assembly offers one way of addressing that challenge. Manufacturing devices within Kenya has the potential to shorten supply chains, create skilled jobs and support the country’s broader ambitions to strengthen domestic electronics manufacturing.

EADAK’s production of 700,000 devices in one year demonstrates that local smartphone assembly is beginning to scale. Although Kenya still imports most of its smartphones, the factory’s growing output suggests domestic production can play an increasingly important role in meeting future demand.

For Chepkwony, the achievement is about more than manufacturing numbers. It reflects a broader effort to make digital technology accessible to more households, ensuring that investments in mobile broadband networks are matched by greater access to affordable smartphones.

As Kenya’s digital economy continues to expand, business leaders investing in local device assembly are likely to play an increasingly important role in connecting more people to the opportunities created by faster and more reliable mobile networks.