M-KOPA South Africa has published its inaugural South Africa Impact Report. The findings show that women are playing a leading role in the country’s digital inclusion, both as first-time smartphone users and as income earners within the company’s growing agent network.
M-KOPA South Africa is the local subsidiary of the M-KOPA group, which has served over 7 million customers and unlocked more than $2.5 billion in credit since 2010 with operations across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa.
Since launching in South Africa in 2023, M-KOPA has served more than 105,000 customers and unlocked over ZAR 370 million in credit through its flexible smartphone financing model, which requires no collateral or formal proof of income, a model purpose-built for the millions of South Africans who remain excluded from formal credit and digital access.
Women are leading the way
Women now make up 49% of M-KOPA South Africa’s customer base, the highest proportion across all M-KOPA markets, with 36% being first-time smartphone owners, compared to 24% of men. 88% of female customers report an improved quality of life since joining.
The story is equally compelling on the agent side. Women account for 84% of M-KOPA’s 1,300 South African sales agents, up from 49% the previous year, supported by flexible working arrangements and safety measures including a partnership with AURA. More than 60% of agents say the role was their first income-earning opportunity, while 73% report increased earnings.
“Before M-KOPA, I was unemployed, surviving on a child support grant and sleeping on the floor with my kids. Now I can provide for my kids without asking anyone. It has brought peace in my life.” — Thando, M-KOPA Sales Executive
Bridging the digital divide
M-KOPA’s model directly addresses a well-documented gap: according to GSMA, a basic smartphone costs the equivalent of 99% of a low-income earner’s monthly income in sub-Saharan Africa, and 88% of adults in the region have never borrowed formally. In South Africa, high unemployment deepens these barriers making affordable, collateral-free smartphone financing not just a product, but a meaningful intervention.
This work is aligned with South Africa’s national digital inclusion agenda, including the government’s G20 focus on a Universal and Equitable Digital Inclusion Framework and ICASA’s call to close the mobile internet gender gap.
Across M-KOPA’s South African customer base, 84% report an improved quality of life, 64% use their smartphones to generate income, and 35% report earning more. For customer Sbongile, a wig maker and seller, the impact is tangible: “I manage everything from my phone: styling wigs, taking photos, chatting with clients on WhatsApp, posting on Facebook. It has helped me grow my customer base a lot over time.”
“Reaching over 100,000 customers is more than a milestone. It represents 100,000 pathways into the digital economy,” said Cameron Perumal, General Manager, M-KOPA South Africa. “South Africa’s unemployment crisis demands bold, inclusive solutions, and when Every Day Earners gain access to fair and flexible financing, they use it to unlock income, stability, and opportunity.”
In 2024, M-KOPA South Africa contributed over ZAR 24 million in tax revenue and ZAR 155.5 million in local procurement, while employing 155 people, 55% of whom are women. The company plans to expand across all nine provinces as it continues to scale access to digital and financial services.