Fintech investments in Africa is generating a lot of buzz this year and attracting a lot of attention from venture capital in South Africa. Part of a global wave of innovation to shape the changing banking needs of the digital consumer, Africa is widely regarded as a hotbed for Fintech innovation and there is little surprise that venture capital firms in Africa are targeting fintech investments as a key growth area.
Since the way people bank and go about their financial lives in Africa is fundamentally different from other parts of the world, the way people innovate needs to be different too. The standout successes of Fintech in Africa and the related Fintech investments in Africa has been needs-driven.
That’s because, in a recent study, the World Bank found that only 34% of Sub-Saharan Africans have a financial account. And with the youngest population in the world, and a penetration rate of 41% in unique mobile subscriptions, it is not surprising that Africa’s “unbanked” are driving Fintech innovation.
According to research done by Penser in the UK, Market forces in Africa are conducive to the growth of fintech.
As African Fintech startups successfully garner funding due to their necessity, it is not surprising to see many investors looking for ways to help fund these services and projects. So what are some Fintech innovations that are currently driving the Fintech industry in Africa?
Areas for Fintech Investments in Africa
- MOBILE MONEY
Since traditional bank infrastructures are weak in Africa, particularly in rural areas, mobile money is becoming the root to driving African Fintech innovation.
Mobile money enables Africans to move from a solely cash-based society to an affordable and obtainable electronic alternative. These innovations allow Africans to upload cash balances to their mobile account, complete payments to third parties, send funds via a peer-to-peer transfer, and much more – all using simple SMS technology.
2. PAYMENT SECURITY AUTHENTICATION
Many in Africa are still wary though of using mobile money, due to their security. Thus, as mobile money & digital payment options continue to develop, innovations in building advanced technologies to protect these Fintech applications continue to grow.
Some new technologies offer biometric authentication technologies, based on the voice or smart sensors found on the phone – while others offer a two-way, real time communication channel between financial institutions and customers. Communications are safeguarded by encryption, preventing man-in-the-middle or other fraud attacks, ensuring secured transactions between both parties.
3. MOBILE PAYMENTS
Building off of mobile money success, additional advanced mobile payment options have been introduced in Africa in the last decade. From eWallets to QR codes, the Fintech community offers a variety of financial tools to Africa’s unbanked.
Mobile payment apps that can accept payments via QR code, allow simple and quick payment between merchants and the customer. While eWallets allow customers to upload their preferred payment methods to their mobile phone, and simply wave or tap their NFC-enabled phone at the register, in a hassle-free way to pay.
4. DIGITAL CURRENCIES
And lastly, digital currencies (or cryptocurrencies) are also taking off in Africa. Since they are practically impossible to counterfeit, and independent of government interference, digital currencies offer a secure method for peer-to-peer transactions.
Bitcoin and other digital currencies hold much promise for Africa, as they are less given to volatile exchange rates and are gaining popularity by merchants as well.
The fin-tech sector in Africa has been a big beneficiary of venture capital in South Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic while other sectors have struggled.
Overall, Africans have experienced a lack of financial inclusion for generations. As more companies race to capture the “unbanked” in Africa, more and more fintech opportunities are bound to emerge.
The need for alternative payment methods and security to cater to the unbanked population is finally driving the rapid development of Fintech technologies on the continent, opening the door for a bright future of African financial inclusion. And while it’s clear that traditional banks are trying to own the fintech space locally, the most obvious sign is that most investments are being poured into their innovation hubs and incubators.
,The Caban Group has compiled a significant infrastructure of service providers who support entrepreneurs with access to business finance, support with restructuring, access to grant funding and support in improving cashflow challenges. Our ,Corporate finance team in the UK supports the South African head office to ensure you have the best possible chance of securing the support your business requires. Contact the team at Caban through the contact form on the website or by emailing Info @ Caban.co.za
