Less than one year after launch, the vision of Empowering Millions with Affordable Smartphones and Digital Access Across the Continent just got recognized
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 18, 2026/ — Smartphone For All
(www.SmartphoneForAll.ai [6]), a business committed to digital
inclusion, has won the 2025 Pinnacle Awards (Telecoms and Wireless
Category) Digital Inclusion & Accessibility Champion and the 2026 Merit
Award (Telecoms and Wireless) Digital Divide. The Pinnacle Awards is a
reputable global program honoring innovation and excellence across
industries. According to Katie Lang, Executive Director of the Pinnacle
Awards, “The Telecom and Wireless Sector continue to set the pace for
innovation, connecting people and businesses worldwide. We are proud to
recognize the organizations that exemplify ingenuity, reliability and
impact in one of the most dynamic industries on the planet”.
In the same vein, Marie Zander, Executive Director of Merit Awards
states that “this year’s winners reflect excellence across the
ecosystem—demonstrating the technologies and strategies that are
shaping the future of communications”.
Smartphone For All had earlier in the year 2025 unveiled an ambitious
campaign to bridge Africa’s digital divide by providing affordable,
high-quality smartphones and connectivity and AI at the edge to
consumers who are excluded from the digital world across the continent.
Established on the belief that exclusion from the digital ecosystem
locks people out of opportunities and lifestyle enhancements. Smartphone
For All aims that every individual—regardless of income, geography, or
background- can fully participate in the digital economy and the
evolving AI transformation.
According to Mr. Babatunde Osho, Founder/CEO of Smartphone For All,
“The digital divide is not just a technology gap—it’s an
opportunity gap. When someone does not have access to a smartphone, they
are cut off from education, jobs, healthcare, financial services, and
even their own voice. Our mission is to close that gap, one device at a
time and build Africa’s largest digital inclusion platform. We are
glad that the Pinnacle and Telecom & Wireless Awards have recognized
what we are doing to improve digital inclusion and accessibility in
Africa”
Smartphone For All partners with MNOs to provide smartphones to 2G/3G
subscribers who cannot afford 4G smartphone across Africa. The
initiative was launched with MTN in South Africa in May 2025 for an
initial period of one year with a smartphone device at ZAR 99 or $5. The
plan is targeting about 1.2m devices. The vision of Smartphone for All
is to take the offering to other African countries like Cote D’Ivoire,
Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and other markets. Apart from the
benefits for the subscribers, there are obvious MNO benefits of better
spectrum utilization with 4G+ networks over legacy 2G/3G networks. For
regulators and government, the benefits include productivity
enhancements and digital inclusion among citizens.
According to a report from the Economist Intelligence Unit, 10% growth
in broadband connectivity results in 1.4% growth in GDP in low- and
middle-income countries and 1.2% growth in high income countries.
African countries like South Africa are actively incentivizing this
growth through policies like a ban on new 2G/3G device activations
starting from December 31, 2024, and a complete shutdown by December 31,
2027. The government has also reduced taxes on certain classes of
smartphones to drive adoption.
According to Jeff Miller, Director at Smartphone for all, ‘Smartphone
For All is not just a business, it is a movement powering Africa into
the next phase of development. Digital access is the foundation of
inclusion in commerce, wellbeing and civic engagement. The pathway to
growth for Africa is to bring more Africans into the digital ecosystem
spanning financial, educational, public health, trade and other streams
of innovation.’
