Credit Direct, Nigeria’s foremost embedded finance company, and vivo, a Chinese technology company, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising a strategic partnership to expand smartphone access across Nigeria.
The signing took place on Friday, 17th April 2026, at Credit Direct’s headquarters in Lagos.
Under the terms of the agreement, customers can acquire a vivo smartphone by paying 20% upfront, with the remaining balance spread over six months. Credit Direct provides the financing. The arrangement is designed to remove the single largest barrier to device ownership in Nigeria: the requirement to pay the full purchase price up front.
Nigeria currently has approximately 120 million smartphone users, yet a significant portion of the population remains without a device. The primary obstacle is not availability; it is the capital required to make an outright purchase. The Credit Direct-vivo partnership is structured specifically to address that constraint, enabling customers to own a quality device without disrupting their monthly finances.
The partnership gives Credit Direct’s customer base access to vivo’s retail network of more than 600 stores across 25 states. In its first year, the two companies are targeting sales of over 200,000 devices.
For Credit Direct, this is its first formal partnership with vivo Nigeria and a direct application of its founding purpose: extending financial access to individuals excluded from traditional credit.
Nigerians interested in acquiring a vivo smartphone through Credit Direct’s flexible financing plan can visit here to get started.
