Jakarta, ThedailyID — Indonesia is considering a plan to distribute free smartphones equipped with digital accounts to help deliver social assistance directly to citizens. Hashim Djojohadikusumo, the president’s special envoy for climate and energy, revealed the proposal at the Indonesia Policy Forum 2026 in South Jakarta on Tuesday, October 13.
“Every citizen will be given a phone equipped with a digital account. All funds will be available there and sent to their respective accounts,” Hashim said.
However, the government has not announced detailed implementation plans. The eligibility criteria, distribution mechanism, and number of recipients remain unclear.
The proposal follows an earlier government plan to open digital accounts for people without bank accounts. Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) and Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) have been appointed to facilitate the process.
According to Hashim, around 30% of Indonesia’s population remains outside the banking system. He cited World Bank figures to highlight the scale of the financial inclusion challenge.
“According to the World Bank, and I believe the government agrees, 30% of our population does not have a bank account,” he said.
Meanwhile, the government plans to eliminate account-opening fees, which previously reached Rp50,000. This would allow more people to access digital banking without paying an initial fee.
Hashim also said the government intends to move social assistance payments away from cash distribution. Instead, authorities would transfer the funds directly to recipients through their digital accounts, which they could access using their phones.
However, the digital account program is still under discussion. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said the government was working on the technical details and targeted implementation in early 2027.
“The program is still under discussion this year. God willing, it will begin in early 2027,” Airlangga said in Jakarta on September 23.
He added that the planned digital accounts would connect with national identity cards and population data managed by the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration, known as Dukcapil.
Despite the proposed timeline, the government has yet to clarify whether free smartphones would go to all citizens or only selected groups. It also remains unclear whether the phone distribution and digital account initiatives will launch together.
