In June 2025, the startup raised $4 million to accelerate the development of its infrastructure and prepare for its international expansion.

Caantin, a Zambian fintech launched in 2025 by entrepreneur Njavwa Mutambo, is using artificial intelligence to automate debt collection through voice, SMS, and WhatsApp agents. The platform handles the entire recovery process, improving repayment rates by 18 to 22 percent while reducing collection costs by up to 60 percent, according to the company.

“Think of it as replacing human collection agents with AI that works 24/7, improves recovery rates, and reduces costs,” Mutambo told Disrupt Africa. “Traditional dialers are manual and expensive. Human agents are inconsistent and don’t scale.”

The system is built on an AI infrastructure capable of managing more than one million calls per day, effectively replacing conventional call centers staffed by human agents. The bots can communicate in multiple African languages, send reminders, propose payment plans, and integrate directly with payment systems.

By automating the process, Caantin aims not only to optimize debt recovery but also to improve the debtor experience through more personalized and respectful communication.

“We are expanding to the UK and South Africa in Q1 of next year, and also exploring strategic partnerships with larger fintechs,” Mutambo said.

As financial services across Africa become increasingly digital, Caantin’s model highlights how AI-driven automation could transform how lenders and financial institutions manage debt recovery on the continent.

Adoni Conrad Quenum