Cellulant’s Software Behind Africa’s growing Mobile Community

SAN DIEGO, CA. In a report in African Business review, the vision of Ken Njoroge and Bolaji Akinboro for a Fortune 500 company based in Africa and run by Africans is explored. The two entrepreneurs wrote down an original business model on the back of a table napkin in 2004 and later that year, armed with just US$3,000 and a credit card, set up a software company offering businesses and consumers value-added services, content and technology for mobile phones.

From these humble beginnings, Cellulant has grown to drive mobile commerce in over 40 mobile networks spanning 12 countries throughout the African continent. With two main business hubs, in Kenya and Nigeria, Cellulant also conducts business within Ghana, Tanzania, Mauritius, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Cellulant currently operates one of Africa’s leading mobile networks, and so far has touched the lives of millions of Africans.

“As a leading mobile technology firm in Africa, we create and deliver innovative solutions that connect millions of customers to diverse services on their mobile phones, while enabling corporations to better understand and serve their customers,” Cellulant’s Chief Business Officer (Africa), Paul Ndichu explains.

In less than a decade Cellulant has grown to diversify interests and embrace mobile opportunities in industries as diverse as insurance, agriculture, music, utilities, retail and manufacturing. The company is known throughout the region for revolutionary and innovative ideas, becoming the first to develop a mobile bank interfacing solution in 2007, and an updated version in 2009 which removed the need for an internet connection.

“As a company, we have pioneered mobile-centric innovations across multiple industry segments,” says Ndichu. “We are not your typical software vendor, we evaluate and analyse business problems and define what solutions can transform it via mobile, whether that be banking, agriculture, FMCG, advertising, insurance, retail, airlines, to name but a few.”
Barclays Africa has recently partnered with Cellulant to provide mobile banking services across 11 countries. The partnership will see services such as mobile and internet banking, ATMs and customer communication streamlined and revitalised into one unifying platform.