• Norbert Haguma founded Swapinga in February 2025 to provide vehicle financing for micro-entrepreneurs.
• The platform requires a 20% down payment and approves applications within seven days without demanding real estate collateral.
• Haguma brings experience from previous roles at Smart Africa, SPENN Technology, and NALA.

Entrepreneur Norbert Haguma is reshaping economic inclusion in a sector where financing remains a major hurdle. He utilizes technology to transform how drivers access their work tools.

Norbert Haguma specializes in fintech, mobility, and Africa-China relations. He serves as the founder and CEO of Swapinga. The company focuses on financial technologies and mobility solutions. Haguma established the firm in February 2025. Swapinga targets drivers and micro-entrepreneurs who seek vehicle ownership. The platform offers a simplified financing solution to boost their revenues. The company aims to remove the primary barriers regarding access to automotive credit.

The system relies on a four-step process. The candidate submits a request via an online form. The team reviews the file and provides an answer within seven days. Successful applicants must open a bank account. They subsequently pay a 20% down payment on the purchase amount. The driver then takes possession of the vehicle to launch or expand their business.

Swapinga promotes a model that requires neither land nor housing as collateral. This feature is decisive for drivers who traditional banks often exclude. The enterprise specifically targets actors in the taxi ecosystem and mobility platforms such as YEGO.

Haguma holds a seat on the board of the Pan-African Council. This organization commits to the unification of Africa and its diaspora. He also acts as a Senior Associate at Africa Equity Group. This firm provides operational consulting, market analysis, and financial support.

Haguma created his first enterprise, AfrOrient Group, in China in 2009. The company operates in trade and investment. He subsequently co-founded the edtech startup Kiziga in China in 2012. This startup develops a platform that allows Africans to apply, pay, and obtain documents for studies in China. He participated in the creation of AfricaGen in Kigali in 2018. This organization dedicates itself to mobilizing Africans through technology.

Norbert Haguma holds a degree from Beijing Jiaotong University. He obtained a bachelor's in computer science and technology and a master's in business administration there. He joined the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in China as an IT engineer in 2009.

Haguma became the head of the Blockchain Hub and the African hub for digital transformation at Smart Africa in 2018. He worked at SPENN Technology from 2020 to 2024. He successively occupied the positions of Country Director for Rwanda, Head of Africa Partnerships, and Non-Executive Director. He served as Country Director for the fintech NALA in Rwanda between September 2024 and February 2025.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum