Safaricom's M-PESA Phone Review: No Bluetooth, No Play Store… But Who Is It For?

Recently, my friend opened an M-PESA shop, and normally when you open an M-PESA shop, you can insert your M-PESA SIM card into any phone, but he had a unique-looking phone for his M-PESA.

The phone had Safaricom branding, and it was rugged. Upon closer inspection, I saw the phone was labelled Neon Sajipro, which is a popular Android phone that is sold through the device loans program; in other words, lipa mdogo mdogo.

Safaricom Neon Sajipro Review: A Smart Feature Phone?

When I first held the phone, it was somehow bulky and rugged, and it was made of plastic on the sides and at the back. 

At the front, you get a 6.5-inch LCD panel with a water drop notch that houses the 5/8MP selfie camera depending on your configuration. There is no back camera

Battery Life and Basic Performance

The battery of the Neon Sajipro is a standard 5000mAh battery, and since you can only use the phone on selected apps, the battery should last you for days; however, if you get the one that allows you to download apps from the Play Store, the battery life may vary.

The phone runs on the full version of Android 14, and regarding software updates, the phone might not get any software updates at all.

The Missing Features: No Play Store and No Bluetooth

Why You Can’t Install Apps on the Neon Sajipro

Being an M-PESA phone, the device is remotely managed in such a way that you cannot download any apps from the Play Store; in fact, I stumbled across an app called DL locker, which is used to manage the device.

Upon opening that app, there was a message saying that the device has been unlocked and it is ready for use, which means that the phone can be used for specific purposes only, mainly M-PESA. If you want to use other services like the Play Store, you have to contact the device administrator, and in this case it’s Safaricom.

Some of the pre-loaded apps that come with the phone include Chrome, Britam, M-PESA for Business, Contacts, My Safaricom App, and DLC Locker for remotely managing the app.

One possible reason Safaricom has blocked app downloads on the Neon Sajipro is security. 

Since this is designed as an M-PESA phone that will likely be used for daily financial transactions, limiting app installations reduces the risk of users accidentally installing malicious apps. 

In theory, a bad actor could trick someone into installing malware that attempts to steal sensitive information, such as their M-PESA PIN or other login credentials, and by preventing app installations altogether, Safaricom is sacrificing flexibility in favor of a more secure experience.

Surviving Without Bluetooth in 2026

The other feature that seemed not to work well is bluetooth; this means you cannot connect to wireless earbuds, speakers, or share files via Bluetooth.

What is the DLC Locker App on the Neon Sajipro?

The DLC Locker, which stands for Device Lock Controller, is an administrative system application  used by credit providers, banks, and telecommunication companies such as Safaricom to remotely manage smartphones purchased on installment plans.

Just to be clear, the device used by M-PESA agents is not paid for in installments; Safaricom gives it to you to be used on M-PESA services only.

If you happen to buy a second-hand phone such as this one that is not used for any M-PESA services, beware of this app, as you might end up paying for the device in installments.

Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Neon Sajipro? 

The Neon Saji Pro is a 4G M-PESA phone strictly limited to M-PESA services. It lacks essentials such as Bluetooth and the ability to download apps from the Play Store.

For this particular phone, you cannot buy it to use it as a regular smartphone.

Please look into other lipa mdogo mdogo phones such as Infinix, Samsung, Tecno, Oppo, and Nokia.