South African entrepreneur Matt Putman has emerged as one of the key players shaping electronic payments on the continent. As co-founder and chief executive of fintech firm iKhokha, he has focused on helping small merchants and businesses adopt digital tools.

Founded in 2012 with Ramsay Daly and Clive Putman, iKhokha offers affordable electronic payment solutions through mobile point-of-sale devices certified by major card networks. Merchants can accept payments via cards, e-wallets, and QR codes.

The company integrates services such as cash register management, reporting, invoicing, e-commerce and microfinancing into a single mobile application. It has also developed a cash advance product to improve access to credit for small enterprises often excluded from traditional banking.

In August 2025, Nedbank acquired iKhokha for about $94 million. Despite the acquisition, the company continues to operate with independent management, allowing it to preserve its entrepreneurial approach while leveraging the bank’s resources.

Putman graduated with a bachelor’s degree in media and communications from the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2006. He began his career in 2003 in the UK at TMP Worldwide, an agency specialized in digital and social transformation of employer branding. Between 2006 and 2009, he worked as marketing director at Mainline Property Brokers, a real estate company.

This article was initially published in French by Melchior Koba

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum