Banque Populaire du Rwanda Plc (BPR Plc) has honoured their Connect Rwanda Campaign pledge of 1000 phones.

The bank on Friday morning delivered 1000 phones pledged last year as part of the Connect Rwanda Campaign. BPR was among the first local companies to pledge to the campaign.

Connect Rwanda, a joint initiative between the ICT ministry and MTN Rwanda was launched last December to boost the penetration of smartphones in the country while leveraging the digital economy.

Public institutions, private companies, and individuals have since come forth to pledge smartphones. These are later distributed primarily among unconnected households in the country.

BPR Managing Director Maurice Toroitich said that increased smartphone penetration will among other things serve towards advancements such as access to financial services.

The campaign he noted will play an immense role to fast track towards the desired progress.

He noted that the bank will also continuously work to ensure that services developed and rolled out are relevant in driving financial inclusion especially among the rural population who increasingly have access to smartphones.

MTN Rwanda CEO Mitwa Kaemba Ng'ambi said that they look forward to continued close collaboration with the bank in aspects such as ensuring quality services for the rural population.

In a recent interview with The New Times, she termed Connect Rwanda as a "huge success” with over 40,000 gadgets pledged so far.

She noted that while the campaign had slowed down during the Covid-19 lockdown it is picking up.

Until the lockdown mid-March, around 4,000 smartphones had been distributed in the four districts with the lowest penetration. 

These include Rutsiro, Karongi, Nyabihu, and Ngororero, all in Western Province. With about 2.8 million households in the country, Connect Rwanda aims at providing at least one smartphone for each.

Smartphone penetration is critical to building e-government and a digital economy as it allows for services to be offered remotely.

BPR donates 1000 smartphones to contribute to Connect Rwanda program.

BPR Managing Director Maurice Toroitich and MTN Rwanda CEO Mitwa Kaemba Ng'ambi  join BPR officials in a group photo.

BPR Managing Director Maurice Toroitich gives his remarks as the bank donates 1000 smartphones to contribute to the Connect Rwanda Campaign.

BPR officials pose for a group photo after their bank donated 1000 smartphones to contribute to the Connect Rwanda Campaign.

MTN Rwanda CEO Mitwa Kaemba Ng'ambi addresses the event this morning.

The event took place at MTN headquarters today on 4 September 2020.