Overview:

Credify Africa Inc. and Kanzu Finance Ltd. were selected alongside eight other startups from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius and Zambia.

KAMPALA, Uganda — Two Ugandan FinTech companies, Credify Africa Inc. and Kanzu Finance Ltd., have earned spots in the Top 10 finalists of the MEST Africa Challenge 2025, bringing them one step closer to a \$50,000 seed equity investment.

The prestigious pan-African competition, organized by Absa and the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology Africa, announced the finalists Wednesday. The two Ugandan firms will now advance to the grand finale in Cape Town, South Africa, on Nov. 26, 2025, where they will compete against startups from six other nations for the top prize.

The two Ugandan companies were selected after two days of intensive judging on Oct. 28 and 29. This year’s challenge focused specifically on financial technology and high-impact solutions designed to deepen financial inclusion across Africa, an area where both Credify Africa and Kanzu Finance offer local, scalable solutions.

Tamu Dutuma, Absa Regional Operations’ head of strategy and transformation for technology, said the innovations presented align with the bank’s digital goals.

“Many of the solutions are directly relevant to our business, with the potential to enhance customer experience, drive efficiency, and accelerate transformation,” Dutuma said.

Ashwin Ravichandran, a portfolio adviser and MAC lead at MEST Africa, noted that the founders are building financial systems that are “inclusive, intelligent, and unmistakably African.”

Credify Africa Inc. and Kanzu Finance Ltd. were selected alongside eight other startups from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius and Zambia.

The finalists are:

  • Credify Africa Inc. (Uganda)
  • Kanzu Finance Ltd. (Uganda)
  • mystocks.africa (Botswana)
  • Logistify AI (Kenya)
  • Kutana Technologies Ltd (Ghana)
  • Investa Farm (Kenya)
  • Black Swan (Mauritius)
  • Mighty Finance Solution Inc. (Zambia)
  • Devdraft AI (Zambia)
  • Farmsky (Kenya)

The overall winner of the grand finale in Cape Town will receive the \$50,000 seed equity investment to accelerate its growth, along with an opportunity to collaborate with Absa.

Tawanda Chatikobo, head of digital for Absa Regional Operations, Retail and Business Banking, concluded that the challenge celebrates the entrepreneurs’ vision for the continent.

“What stands out in the Top 10 is how digital innovation is being applied to real market challenges,” Chatikobo said.