mkopa

Founded in 2011, M-KOPA operates a fintech platform that provides financing to “Every Day Earners” across Africa - customers typically overlooked by traditional financial services. The model rests on digital micropayments and IoT-connected asset financing: products are paid for in small daily instalments matched to customers' earning patterns, with connected devices enabling pay-as-you-go access.

The company's origins lie in pay-as-you-go solar power, launched in 2011. The product line has since expanded to smartphone financing (with over 1 million phones assembled locally), electric motorbike financing, and a set of services unlocked once customers build a credit history on the platform - digital loans, hospital coverage, device protection and affordable mobile data. Building credit histories for underbanked customers is a core function of the platform, alongside payments processing and embedded finance.

M-KOPA reports over $2 billion in credit deployed, more than 7 million customers served and over 1 million payments processed daily. An agent network of more than 35,000 provides distribution and livelihood opportunities, and 86% of customers report improved quality of life since joining. The company operates in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. Technical work spans fintech, IoT connectivity, credit scoring, payments processing and a proprietary tech stack, with engineering teams distributed across these markets.