Kenya’s largest telco Safaricom and M-Gas have partnered to pioneer a pre-paid cooking gas subscription service that will allow customers to access cooking gas from as low as 1 bob.

The subscription service includes a gas cylinder with a smart meter and a 2-burner cooker installed at the customer’s house at no upfront cost.

How it Works

Once the cylinder is installed, the customer will purchase gas through M-Pesa, think of it as tokens but for gas. Once payment is made, from as low as 1 bob, the smart meter will allow the customer to use gas similar to the amount that has been paid for.

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According to Safaricom, to cook three meals would cost around 70 bob per day. Once the customer’s account is at zero, the smart meter automatically disconnects the gas until the account is prepaid again.

In the case that the gas runs out, the smart meter will send an alert to M-Gas depot, who will then refill the cylinder at no extra cost.

IoT

The M-Gas solution is powered by Safaricom’s Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB IoT) network which connects to Safaricom’s 4G network to provides low-power mobile connectivity.

“M-Gas is proud to be working with Safaricom on this pioneering effort to bring affordable, convenient and clean cooking solutions to millions of low-income households in Kenya. Safaricom is a leader in both technology and customer service and we look forward to building on this exciting new partnership,” said Volker Schultz, Head of M-Gas.

“For more than 19 years, we have maintained our commitment to our purpose of Transforming Lives by exploring new innovations that create opportunities for our customers and uplift their lives. Safaricom’s partnership with M-Gas will for the first time empower millions of Kenyans with affordable access to clean cooking gas, an opportunity we believe has been previously underserved,” said Michael Joseph, CEO, Safaricom.