Afrobility: Africa Tech and Business

#68: Branch - From Kiva to providing consumer loans and FinTech services across Africa and other developing markets


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Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about Branch, the FinTech lending company and Neobank. We’ll explore the story across the following 5 areas:

  • African lending & consumer credit

  • Branch's founding early history

  • Product & monetization strategy

  • Competitive positioning & potential exit options

  • Overall outlook

  • This episode was recorded on Sep 10, 2023


    Companies discussed: Branch, Kiva, Kuda Bank, Chipper Cash, Earnin, Paga, FairMoney, MFS Africa, GTBank, Access Bank, Ecobank, PalmPay, Carbon, PiggyVest, Upstart, Tala, Visa, Mastercard & Safaricom


    Business concepts discussed: Smartphone credit assessment, Consumer lending, neobank strategy, Personal Finance OS, unbanked population, smartphone credit assessment & Pan-African Banking


    Conversation highlights:

    • (01:00) - What Branch is and why we’re talking about it

    • (07:40) - Africa consumer credit context and background

    • (19:17) - Branch International founding

    • (23:31) - Founders’ background

    • (39:12) - Fundraising and Growth

    • (51:40) - Geographical expansion 

    • (1:02:01) - Acquisitions and Team overview

    • (01:15:14) - Product strategy

    • (1:33:20) - Monetization strategy and Costs

    • (1:41:58) - Competition and options for exit

    • (1:57:08) - Bankole’s overall thoughts 

    • (2:10:59) - Olumide’s overall thoughts

    • (2:30:20) - Recommendations and small wins

    • Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:

      • Interested in investing in Africa Tech with Olumide: Read about Adamantium fund & contact me at [email protected]. Founders looking for funding: If you're a B2B founder working on Education, Health, Finance or food, please contact me for funding at [email protected]

      • Checkout my FIREDOM book = FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) + Freedom = personal finance and financial independence book. Website, Read: Substack Newsletter & Buy: Print, eBook or Audiobook)

      • Recommendation: Eminem - Rap God (OMFG I’m 12 years late, my mind exploded. WOW!)

      • Recommendation: Can’t Hurt Me (David Goggins). Incredible book about challenges David went to from parental abuse, racism to make something of himself. I went through waves of intense emotions while reading the book. At some points, I was crying in pain with David and other times I was in pure shock about what I was listening to.

      • Small win: Hosted FIREDOM book launch event in London. Amazing conversations about life, managing money and growth. Dope shit.



      • Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:

        • Recommendation: American Prometheus by Kai Bird, A/B Testing with Fat Tails & Remember Me - Fireboy DML

        • Small win: Chin-chin from a recent trip to Lagos

        • Other content: Mobile overdraft facility Fuliza outshines Silicon Valley-backed lending apps in Kenya- TechCrunch & Inside Branch’s 20 percent interest investment push to beat Nigerian bank offerings - TechCabal


        • Listeners: We’d love to hear from you. Email [email protected] with feedback!

          Founders & Operators: We'd love to hear about what you're working on, email us at [email protected]

          Investors: It would be great to link up with you. Contact us at [email protected]


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          Afrobility: Africa Tech and BusinessBy Olumide Ogunsanwo and Bankole Makanju

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