Ugandan fin-tech firm bags African award

A local Ugandan technology company has beaten 10 others to win a continental award.

Financial Technology Company, eMaisha Pay was named the winner of the 2022 edition of Catapult: Inclusion Africa Award.

A Friday statement indicated that the award goes out every year to the “top African fintech company competing at the yearly digital bootcamp hosted by the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology (LHoFT).

“eMaisha Pay was awarded the honour for the work they do providing financial opportunities for micro and small businesses in Uganda,” the statement said.

The award was given to eMaisha Pay at the end of Catapult: Inclusion Africa’s digital pitching ceremony, which took place at the end of the three-day conference on March 23.

“Catapult: Inclusion Africa is a digital bootcamp held every year to offer three days of training and networking to selected Fintech firms working to improve financial inclusion in Africa.  This year’s edition of Catapult: Inclusion Africa was held in Dubai from March 21-23, bringing together different African fintech companies to network, train, and compete for the award,” the statement said.

Alongside eMaisha Pay were 10 other finalists from six different countries of Africa, all competing to show how their companies were working towards the goal of improving financial inclusion across the continent of Africa, the statement said.

 Catapult: Inclusion Africa was initially developed by the LHoFT Foundation as a way to build bridges with Luxembourg’s Microfinance Industry, work towards the sustainability goals of Luxembourg’s finance center, and support selected firms to develop their businesses and achieve their inclusion goals.

Uhuru Sserubiri, the CEO of eMaisha Pay, said they would empower more than 3.5 million small businesses in Africa by the year 2027. 

At least 1,500 small businesses are already onboard, with plans to scale to 50,000 within the next 24 months.