The new executive director of Ukheshe Africa believes being able to reach the unreachable parts of African society is the largest challenge facing the banking sector.
The appointment of Mark Dankworth comes at a time when the need for a cashless society is a rising trend and a strategic global imperative.
Ukheshe Africa will not only look to increase its user base but will also be identifying new business-to-business opportunities for the platform across the continent.
Dankworth says that since his entrance into the payments sector in 2004, true financial inclusion is undoubtedly the most important aspect.
He said: “Being able to truly bank the unbanked is by far the greatest challenge as well as a significant accomplishment. In my experience, several businesses have attempted to achieve this but fail and in the end they cater for the same customer base that has previously been banked.
“What excites me about Ukheshe is that it has been built to address the smaller merchants and people who previously did not have access to affordable banking services.”
While Ukheshe has focused on South Africa, Dankworth says that there are already opportunities underway for the micro-payment platform in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi, Botswana and Angola.
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