In Botswana today, more people are choosing to forge their own paths. They’re launching businesses, solving community problems and introducing fresh ideas. What sets them apart? It’s their initiative — the spark that inspires someone to say, “Let me try something new,” and actually do it.
A standout example is Nthoppa, a digital financial advisor designed for users across Africa. Accessible via mobile app and USSD, it serves even those without smartphones or internet access. Nthoppa was developed to address the financial exclusion of low-income and informal workers, not because they don’t earn money, but because they lack access to the right tools, services or financial education.
Nthoppa provides affordable, easy-to-use, personalised financial help directly on users’ phones.
In an interview with The Business Weekly & Review, Nthoppa founder Lebo Merafhe said the platform is not a typical fintech app.
“Most platforms just put financial services online,” she said. “But Nthoppa goes further — it teaches you as you go.”
The app integrates financial education with personalized, AI-powered advice. Whether using a smartphone or a basic feature phone with USSD, Nthoppa meets users where they are.
Merafhe said Nthoppa is about more than just money. “It’s about changing behavior, building knowledge and creating community,” she said. The platform bundles a range of services — from insurance and microfinance to utility payments — into one inclusive, user-friendly solution.
Nthoppa also supports entrepreneurs, especially those operating in informal or small-scale sectors. Through the platform, users can open merchant accounts and access tools like income tracking, savings goals, group contributions and digital payment records. These features help improve business operations and build financial histories, critical when seeking loans or formal financial support.
Even better, the platform includes financial learning journeys tailored for micro-entrepreneurs. It connects users to microfinance institutions and insurance providers that can offer funding and protection to help their businesses grow.
A major challenge, Merafhe noted, has been ensuring the financial tools and lessons resonate with users. Many apps fail because they are developed from a technical, rather than a community, perspective.
To address this, Nthoppa collaborated closely with people from rural and peri-urban communities to co-create content. The team incorporated Setswana proverbs, everyday language, and culturally relevant examples. The USSD experience was also designed to reflect local thinking and daily life.
“The goal was simple,” Merafhe told The Business Weekly & Review. “We wanted it to be understandable, relatable and useful from day one.”
That’s the real power of platforms like Nthoppa, she added. “They’re not just apps — they’re game changers.”
By helping informal workers manage money, access credit, save and get insurance, these tools open doors that were once closed. They support turning side hustles into viable businesses, boosting household income and reducing reliance on government support.
“It’s about giving people the confidence, knowledge and support to grow on their own terms,” Merafhe said. “In the bigger picture, that means stronger communities, more local investment and a real connection between national economic plans and everyday life.”
To ensure long-term impact, Nthoppa is focusing on scale and sustainability. This is built into its business model. Merafhe said the plan is to expand geographically by partnering with mobile network operators, insurers and NGOs, enabling Nthoppa to reach new markets without heavy infrastructure.
The long-term vision is to build a trusted, unified network of financial service providers. “Nthoppa hopes to become a digital bridge, connecting underserved people to the tools, services and opportunities they deserve,” Merafhe said.
Beyond the tech and tools, the journey has demanded emotional resilience. Merafhe admitted that staying committed to Nthoppa’s mission has been difficult, especially when progress is slow and obstacles come from all sides.
“Building for the underserved means facing funding gaps, long regulatory delays and skepticism from traditional institutions,” she said.
But the experience has led to a mindset shift: solving problems with communities, not just for them.
“It’s taught me that patience, persistence and humility are just as important as innovation,” she said.
As Nthoppa continues to grow, it carries more than just the promise of better financial access. It represents a deeper belief in what’s possible when technology, community and empathy come together.
It’s a reminder that real impact takes time, trust, and the courage to keep going, even when the road gets tough.
