Africa’s low bancarisation rate is an opportunity for many fintech companies to thrive on the continent. These companies, both local and international, offer interesting solutions to improve financial inclusion. 

Kowri is a fintech solution developed by Ghanaian firm DreamOval Limited. It allows access to financial services such as loans as well as fund transfers and reception.  

“Kowri Business is an integrated Fintech Platform that simplifies how banks and fintech acquire merchants, switch transactions and process local and international remittances to and from any Money Transfer Operator,” DreamOval indicates on its web platform. 

Users can access Kowri's services from its mobile application, available on Android and iOS. Once they create their Kowri account, they can access services like fund transfer, airtime, and data top-up as well as utility bill payment.  

With its Kowri Business feature, it gives users the possibility to collect payment across mobile and digital channels. By signing up for the service, businesses “get access to a unique payment link, USSD code, QR code, and their own back office portal to enable them to collect payments across multiple mobile money wallets, cards, and cash.”

Through its Kowri Protect feature, the solution offers free insurance coverage to merchants that use the business feature. “Kowri Protect is an insurance solution designed to protect your store against various natural disasters, burglaries, fire, floods, and more,” Kowri indicates. 

In May 2023, the solution signed a partnership with US-based student loan provider Mpower to offer loans to African students pursuing Master's degrees in Canada and the US. It plans to expand across Africa but, to achieve that plan, it may have to organize funding rounds. 

Adoni Conrad Quenum