eSIM providers eye Kenya's growing diaspora market

For many Kenyan families, one of their greatest fears is losing contact with a loved one working abroad, especially when communication suddenly stops without explanation. A lot of conspiracy theories take hostage of their minds as they try to deduce what might have happened. Are they unwell? Is it a network issue? Have they cut us off? Are they dead?

For some families, the latter might be the unfortunate answer they get.

In some cases, the missing kin abroad might have been dead for weeks or months, without the family knowing, all because of lost communication.

While the 32 page booklet might be the passport used to gain access to a foreign land, a mobile phone is what keeps one connected back at home.

Yet for many workers who get opportunities abroad, a feature phone or a low end smartphone is the device in use. If one is using a feature phone, then roaming charges apply, which is an expensive way to communicate, as the devices are not internet friendly. In such scenarios, electronic sim cards (eSIMs) become the option. But this needs high end smart phones that can accommodate this technology. It is one of the challenges that providers of these services face and cite as the reason behind slow penetration.

“Imagine a scenario where you have just landed in the Middle East, as that is the country where most of our Kenyan workers go, and you are not connected. You do not know anyone yet you are supposed to be received by someone and your phone is out of network. You will even start regretting why you travelled in the first place,” says Esivo Ltd Director Geoffrey Mbuthia, which owns SafSIM, an eSIM service. Unlike the standard sim card that is physical, which many Kenyans know of, an eSIM is not physical. It is embedded in the phone’s network to help a user stay connected through the internet.

Safaricom and Airtel have such products. It is a critical necessity for Kenyans travelling abroad and for tourists visiting the country.