M-KOPA, a Kenyan-based company that provides solar-powered lrtrading solutions to over 1 million homes in Africa, has announced a new product that could potentially revolutionize access to information and entertainment in the region. The company recently launched its M-KOPA TVs, which are powered by solar panels and offer affordable access to digital television.
M-KOPA’s new offering is a 24-inch high-definition television that is sold with a solar panel system and a lithium-ion battery for storing energy. The M-KOPA TV also comes with an M-PESA payment plan that allows customers to pay for the television in small installments over time. This payment model makes the M-KOPA TV affordable to many households in Africa who might not otherwise be able to afford a television or pay for expensive cable or satellite packages.
In an interview with ifsptv TechCrunch, Jesse Moore, CEO and co-founder of M-KOPA, explained the company’s mission to provide affordable and accessible energy solutions to low-income families in Africa. “We’ve built the M-KOPA brand around energy,” he said, “but what we’re really doing is providing a platform for accessing information and entertainment.”
The M-KOPA TV is not the company’s first foray into the world of digital entertainment. In 2017, M-KOPA partnered with Safaricom to launch the M-KOPA Solar-powered Set Top Box, which allowed customers to access digital television channels using solar power. The M-KOPA TV is an extension of this effort, providing a more comprehensive solution for households that want access to digital television programming.
The launch of M-KOPA TVs is significant for several giveme5 reasons. First, it addresses a major challenge facing many households in Africa, which is access to affordable and reliable electricity. According to a report by the International Energy Agency, 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have no access to electricity, while another 600 million have unreliable access. The M-KOPA TV provides a solution to this problem by offering a self-sustaining power source that can power a television and other small devices.
Second, the M-KOPA TV offers a more affordable alternative to traditional television packages. In many African countries, cable and satellite television packages can be expensive, making them inaccessible to many low-income households. The M-KOPA TV is sold on a payment plan that is more accessible to these households, allowing them to pay for the television in small increments over time.
Finally, the M-KOPA TV is an example of the kind of innovation that is happening in Africa’s tech sector. African entrepreneurs are increasingly developing solutions to address the unique challenges facing the continent, from energy access to financial inclusion. M-KOPA’s focus on 123chill providing affordable energy solutions is a prime example of this trend, and the launch of the M-KOPA TV is a testament to the company’s commitment to improving access to information and entertainment in Africa.
Jesse Moore believes that the M-KOPA TV is just the beginning of the company’s efforts to provide affordable access to digital entertainment. “We’re constantly looking for ways to innovate and offer new solutions to our customers,” he said in the TechCrunch interview. “The M-KOPA TV is a big step in that direction.”
As the African tech sector continues to manytoons grow and innovate, companies like M-KOPA will play an increasingly important role in improving the lives of millions of people across the continent. The launch of M-KOPA TVs is just one example of the kind of impact that these companies can have, and it will be exciting to see what other innovations they will bring in the years to come.
