Tendai Ziso

Cassava Fintech International (CFI) has partnered Liquid Telecom Group (LTG) to launch the Sasai Wi-Fi Finder, a service which is expected to drive digital and financial inclusion in Africa.

The service was launched today and will be offered across the whole continent, as it is expected to be rolled at thousands of hotspots across Africa.

The idea behind the service is to offer low cost solutions for connectivity in Africa and address the issue of affordability which is a major barrier to internet adoption in Africa as indicated in the 2019 report by the GSMA (the Global System for Mobile Communications).

This has led to the current problems of social, digital and financial exclusion in the continent. So the partnership is going to expand these services throughout the continent.

The CFI group CEO Darlington Mandivenga said the launch is a critical piece in the social digital inclusion agenda that they are driving on the continent.

“Through Sasai Wi-Fi Finder, we plan to establish an expansive network of data access points across Africa and build ‘Africa’s Missing Network’ through partnering with broadband providers, Internet Service Providers and local community hubs,” Mandivenga said.

LTG Group Chief Operating Officer Mr Ahmad Mokheles added that the service will enable more Africans to access the digital and financial benefits of the internet.

“We’re proud that our best-in-class broadband infrastructure network is the backbone of this service and is enabling more Africans to access the digital and financial benefits of the internet,”

“This partnership is providing consumers with affordable Wi-Fi access while local franchisees and partners are able to grow their businesses and the economies of their countries. This is a true example of the transformative power technology can have across the value chain,” said Mokhles.

The intuitive and easy to use Sasai Wi-Fi Finder will be an in-App feature on the Sasai super App that will allow users to identify hotspots at which they can access affordable data.

Sasai’s Chief Operating Officer Tapera Mushoriwa said the service was designed to be as easy-to-use as possible.

A smartphone user will get free connectivity on-the-go through accessing the #SasaiWi-Fi Finder network to download the Sasai App and gain access to a wide range of in-app services.

“When a new smartphone user has registered on the Sasai App, or when an existing Sasai App user opens the App, they receive automatic notification “pop-up” alerts showing available #SasaiWi-Fi Finder hotspots nearby. They also receive additional services, such as distinct indoor and outdoor Wi-Fi hotspot markers, directions to Wi-Fi hotspots, session usage, range and signal strength details – making it easier than ever before for African users to access the Internet,” Mushoriwa said.

The Sasai Wi-Fi Finder will allow greater connectivity in a variety of locations, including retail, health care, education, government and small business trade facilities.

The App will also give millions of Africans access to social, entertainment and on-demand services offered on the Sasai super App, including Sasai Moments.

The partnership between CFI and LTG will see the roll-out of the Sasai Wi-Fi Finder in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa in phases over the coming months.

The Sasai Wi-Fi Finder is accessible and available by downloading the Sasai super App from the Google Play store or the Apple Appstore.