Sun King Mombasa Sun King moves from solar to smartphones Sun King, the company you probably know for yellow solar lanterns and pay-as-you-go home power, has officially launched its first smartphone in Kenya, shaking up the mobile market. The EZ 1 is the company’s own brand of entry-level phone, and it’s being built locally at Sun King’s new manufacturing facility in Nairobi, part of a big push to make devices more accessible and grow local tech production. The twist isn’t really the hardware. The EZ 1 looks like many basic Android phones with 4 GB RAM, 128 GB storage, a 6.56-inch display, and a big 5000 mAh battery. What then is? How Sun King is selling it. Kenyans can get the phone with a KSh 2,999 deposit and KSh 60 daily payments through the same “lipa pole pole” pay-as-you-go model that has helped hundreds of thousands afford solar kits. Why should you care? Because high upfront costs still keep many people out of the digital economy in Kenya. Smartphones are essential for communication, mobile money, education, and small businesses, but imported devices often cost more than some households can manage. Sun King’s model makes ownership feel affordable day-to-day, even if the total cost over time could be higher than buying a cheap phone outright. There’s also broader context: Kenya’s local phone assembly scene has been growing, with companies like M-Kopa assembling millions of devices locally, though import competition and grey-market phones still dominate the market and complicate the economics for homegrown makers. Sun King’s move is part of this trend, using industrialisation and financing to tackle digital exclusion, even as consumer perceptions and quality concerns around locally assembled phones linger. But it’s not all sunshine. Word on the street is pointing to the “poverty penalty” — paying over time, can mean you end up spending far more than the cash price if you had the money upfront, and entry-level specs won’t always keep up long term. Still, for many Kenyans priced out of the smartphone market, the EZ 1 could be the ticket to staying connected and earning a living, and that’s why this launch matters. Figure of the day Brought to you by 80.8% The rate of smartphone penetration in Kenya, representing over 42.3 million smartphones actively connected to networks as of mid-2025. Contact Intelpoint for industry reports, market research, and consultancy here.

Sun King, widely known across Africa for its yellow solar lanterns and pay-as-you-go home power systems, has officially entered the smartphone market with the launch of its first device in Kenya.

The company unveiled the EZ 1, an entry-level Android smartphone assembled locally at its new manufacturing facility in Nairobi, marking a major shift from solar products to consumer electronics. The move is part of Sun King’s broader strategy to make digital devices more affordable while boosting local production.

On paper, the EZ 1 offers modest but practical specifications. It comes with 4GB RAM, 128GB storage, a 6.56-inch display, and a 5000mAh battery — similar to many budget smartphones already in the market.

But the real difference isn’t the hardware — it’s how the phone is sold.

Instead of paying the full price upfront, customers can take the device home with a KSh 2,999 deposit and then make KSh 60 daily payments using Sun King’s familiar “lipa pole pole” (pay small small) financing model. This same system has already helped hundreds of thousands of households afford solar kits.

Why this matters

For many Kenyans, the biggest barrier to smartphone ownership isn’t availability — it’s cost.

Smartphones are now essential tools for:

• mobile money and banking
• communication
• online learning
• running small businesses
• accessing jobs and services

Yet imported devices often remain too expensive for low-income households. Sun King’s daily payment plan spreads the cost over time, making ownership feel more manageable.

The bigger picture

Kenya’s local phone assembly industry has been expanding, with companies like M-Kopa already producing millions of devices domestically. Still, the market faces stiff competition from cheap imports and grey-market phones, which makes it tough for local manufacturers to compete on price.

Sun King’s strategy combines local manufacturing + flexible financing to address digital exclusion — a model that could reshape how affordable tech reaches underserved communities.

The catch

There are concerns. Paying in installments can sometimes lead to what experts call a “poverty penalty” — where customers ultimately spend more than they would if they bought the device outright.

Additionally, entry-level specs may not hold up long term as apps and software become more demanding.

Even so, for many people who simply cannot afford a lump-sum payment, the EZ 1 may offer a practical path to staying connected and participating in the digital economy.

For thousands of Kenyans, it could mean the difference between being offline and earning a living online.

Figure of the Day

📊 80.8% — Kenya’s smartphone penetration rate, representing over 42.3 million active devices connected to mobile networks as of mid-2025.