In a landmark achievement, M-KOPA, a leading Pan-African fintech, has secured a spot on CNBC’s World’s Top Fintech Companies 2025 list in the Alternative Financing category.
This recognition coincides with M-KOPA surpassing $2 billion in credit disbursed to over 7 million customers across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, cementing its role as a transformative force in emerging markets.
Rewiring Africa’s Financial Landscape
M-KOPA’s innovative Smart Money Platform integrates affordable credit, health insurance, and device protection into smartphones, offering a lifeline to the financially excluded.
Unlike traditional banking systems, M-KOPA’s model leverages AI-driven analytics and over a decade of payment data to build credit profiles for millions, enabling access to economic opportunities.
With 200,000 customers onboarded monthly and 15 payments processed every second, M-KOPA is not just a fintech,it’s a financial infrastructure turnaround.
The company’s 35,000-strong direct sales network spans five African nations, delivering scalable solutions tailored to local needs.
Beyond smartphones, M-KOPA is now venturing into e-motorbike financing, with over 1,500 electric motorbikes financed in Kenya alone, saving riders 30% on costs while reducing carbon emissions.
READ ALSO:How Did M-KOPA Make the Financial Times List Four Years in a Row?
A Vision for Sustainable Growth
Jesse Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of M-KOPA, captured the significance of this milestone: “Reaching the $2bn credit milestone and being recognised as one of the world’s top fintechs by CNBC represents a critical inflection point, not just for M-KOPA but for how we think about sustainable growth in emerging markets.”
This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about impact. With 1.4 billion people globally still unbanked, M-KOPA’s model proves that inclusive finance can be both profitable and transformative.
A 2025 World Economic Forum report projects global fintech revenues to reach $1.5 trillion by 2030, with emerging markets like Africa leading the charge.
M-KOPA is at the forefront, showing that private-sector solutions can bridge the financial inclusion gap at scale.
Beyond Smartphones: A Continental Rewire
M-KOPA’s journey began in 2011 as a Kenyan solar energy provider, but it has since evolved into a fintech powerhouse.
Its smartphone financing, combined with digital loans and partnerships like Turaco for health insurance, has empowered millions.
In 2024, its Kenyan assembly facility, Africa’s largest, produced over 1.5 million devices, including 1 million M-KOPA-branded smartphones sold in just 12 months.
This isn’t Silicon Valley’s AI trading bots. This is real-world innovation, stitching financial access into the daily lives of millions. From Nairobi to Lagos, M-KOPA’s quiet shifts are reshaping economies, one customer at a time.
READ ALSO:M-KOPA Makes TIME’s List of Most Influential Companies
Why It Matters
As Africa’s fintech sector continues to grow, projected to reach $230 billion by 2025, M-KOPA’s inclusion in CNBC’s list alongside global leaders highlights its role in driving financial inclusion and sustainable development.
With plans to produce 10 million smartphones by 2027 and expand its e-mobility offerings, M-KOPA is not just a fintech story, it’s a blueprint for a financially empowered Africa.
Ronnie Paul is a seasoned writer and analyst with a prolific portfolio of over 1,000 published articles, specialising in fintech, cryptocurrency, and digital finance at Africa Digest News.
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