Egoras and Airtel Partners To Launch AI-powered ‘Cube Phone’ Smartphones For SMEs

The rise of AI smartphones in Nigeria

Egoras Technologies is partnering with Airtel Nigeria to launch an artificial intelligence-powered commerce smartphone, which is purposefully aimed at Nigerian small enterprises who are still excluded from digital payments and modern business tools.

According to a statement issued and signed by Egoras CEO Ugoji Harry, the companies intend to launch the Android-based Cube Phone on April 28th, 2026, to make the device an all-in-one business platform that combines free commercial internet access, contactless payments, artificial intelligence business tools, and blockchain-based data privacy features.

The initiative is intended to fill a significant vacuum in Nigeria’s economy, where digital payment usage among small businesses remains low. Less than 8% of the country’s estimated 40 million micro and small enterprises presently accept digital payments, owing to the high cost of point-of-sale terminals, data costs, and privacy concerns.

Egoras also announced that it has gained contractual rights to provide zero-rated access to third-party developers developing applications on CubeOS, calling the strategy unusual in African telecom markets. MTN Nigeria and Globacom are in advanced stages of discussions to expand carrier ties.

The cube phone: What makes it a game changer

According to Egoras, no existing African solution combines hardware, payments infrastructure, merchant card distribution, artificial intelligence technologies, zero-rated connection, and blockchain privacy on a single platform. Existing rivals mainly serve specific segments, with Moniepoint and Opay focusing on payment services and device manufacturers such as Tecno and Itel on hardware.

Cube Phone is a fundamental change from cellphones as simple communication tools to intelligent business engines.

The zero-rated connection arrangement with Airtel allows customers to use business tools and conduct transactions without having to pay for mobile data.

According to Harry, the arrangement might immediately cut merchant operating expenses, as many Nigerian small business owners spend between ₦5,000 and ₦10,000 per month on mobile data. Eliminating those fees, he claimed, might allow customers to recoup the device’s cost in months, even before accounting for additional revenue produced by digital payments or AI-driven productivity benefits.

The game-changing Integrated Payments System, blockchain and data privacy

The Cube Phone comes packed with a powerful AI Business Suite intended to boost productivity and efficiency.

These transformative tools include the following:

• AI Legal for Contracts and Compliance.
• AI CFO for financial monitoring and reporting.
• AI HR for Recruitment and Payroll
• AI Coder for creating applications using simple instructions.

These features turn the smartphone into a virtual business assistant, capable of completing tasks that would ordinarily require many professionals.

Another innovative feature is the integrated contactless payment system. Each gadget includes 100 NFC-enabled Cube Cards, allowing users to make payments without using smartphones or apps. This strategy provides a smooth and easy payment experience, especially in underserved and informal marketplaces.

Also, the tablet comes preinstalled with four specialised digital assistants. AI Legal creates contracts and maintains compliance filings in English, Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa. AI CFO monitors transactions, prepares IFRS-compliant financial accounts, and detects fraud.

AI Coder generates mini-applications and automated workflows using natural-language instructions, whilst AI HR handles recruitment, payroll, and performance reviews in accordance with Nigerian labour standards.

According to the business, all AI interactions are encrypted on the device and saved on the Cube Blockchain to prevent third parties, including Egoras, from accessing user data.

CubeOS uses a blockchain-based architecture in which messages, financial records, and transactions are encrypted on the handset. Airtel provides encrypted connectivity but cannot monitor user content, whereas Cube Card payments are validated and settled on-chain without the use of a centralised processor.

According to Egoras CEO Ugoji Harry, the Cube Phone’s aim extends beyond hardware innovation.

This phrase expresses the product’s strong and purpose-driven concept of solving real-world economic problems rather than chasing trends.

Conclusion: A bold leap or a risky bet?

The Egoras-Airtel AI smartphone venture is an unquestionably audacious, innovative, and high-risk innovation. It addresses real-world difficulties in Nigeria’s SME sector through a strong combination of AI, fintech, and telecom infrastructure.

If effectively implemented, it has the potential to transform the way small businesses operate, bringing millions into the digital economy and opening up new chances for growth.

However, its long-term success is dependent on pricing, more productivity and user uptake. The Cube Phone, priced at ₦240,000, will be available through Egoras dealerships nationwide.

Users can learn more about the innovation and improvements by visiting:
Egoras’ official website: https://egoras.com/

This portal provide information about product rollout, partnerships, and future advancements.

Amebopreneur