Monday, 9 November 2026 · Harare 9 Nov 2026
Today's edition Business, markets and the leaders shaping Zimbabwe
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Farai Dube on building fintech for people who have never trusted a bank

The Nyanga Digital co-founder explains why his company started with bookkeeping, not loans.

AI-generated illustration · AI-generated illustration

Most fintechs start with lending. Why did you start with bookkeeping?

Because nobody wakes up wanting a loan app. They want to know if they made money this week. We built a simple way to record sales and stock. Once traders used it every day, the credit history built itself.

“Nobody wakes up wanting a loan app. They want to know if they made money this week.”

Why build for basic phones?

Because that is what many of our customers carry. A smartphone app alone would have cut out a large part of the market we wanted to serve.

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What is the hardest part of building a startup in Zimbabwe?

Keeping senior engineers. Remote jobs pay well. We compete on mission and on giving people real responsibility early.

What is next?

A digital version of the savings club, the round that people already trust. And, if the rules allow, other markets in the region.

TA

Tafadzwa Gumbo

Technology Correspondent

Tafadzwa covers founders, digital infrastructure and the rules that govern data and platforms.