M

M-KOPA

Digital micro-financing for financially excluded

Head of Workplace IT

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/14/2026
No salary listed
Expert
Johannesburg, South Africa+1 moreMore locations: Gauteng, South Africa
HybridRegular travel across operating markets is required; travel may reach 25%, especially early in the role.
IT OperationsNetwork Engineering & Administration

About the job

Requirements
  • Proven leadership of a multi-site IT function at scale, ideally across multiple countries.
  • Strong commercial and vendor-management skills, including negotiating and managing internet service provider, telecommunications, hardware supplier, and software-as-a-service/managed service provider contracts.
  • A strong security mindset and understanding of identity, endpoint, and network security.
  • Solid network monitoring and performance fundamentals, and sufficient infrastructure depth, including physical and server-room engineering, to work effectively with specialists.
  • Comfort operating in high-growth, emerging-market environments.
  • A user-focused mindset and experience collecting and responding to internal feedback on team performance.
  • Experience leading a workplace IT team, or strong individual-contributor/manager experience in a related domain with demonstrable readiness to take the next step.
Responsibilities
  • Own the Workplace IT roadmap end-to-end, covering networks and telephony, end-user compute, identity, productivity tooling, and service management.
  • Lead and grow a multi-country Workplace IT team.
  • Own the operating and capital expenditure budget, and drive cost discipline across hardware, connectivity, telephony, and software.
  • Run wired and wireless networks, telephony, and end-user compute across offices, warehouses, retail sites, and call centres.
  • Stand up Workplace IT capabilities for new sites and market launches.
  • Manage on-premises hardware and physical environments, including server rooms, power, cooling, physical security, and CCTV.
  • Manage the full lifecycle of laptops, desktops, and phones, including endpoint and mobile device management.
  • Manage identity and access platforms and processes, including directory, single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, joiner/mover/leaver processes, and access recertification.
  • Select and manage productivity and collaboration software, vendors and contracts, licensing and software-as-a-service spend, meeting-room systems, and audiovisual systems.
  • Maintain IT-side security hygiene, including patching, vulnerability remediation, endpoint protection, and hardening; support business continuity and disaster recovery.
  • Balance cost, performance, security, and resilience, particularly in variable-connectivity markets.
  • Partner with the Security function on IT-side security hygiene with clear ownership boundaries.
  • Maintain operationally effective, low-friction, audit-ready access controls.
  • Set and drive norms and adoption practices for workplace tools.
  • Measure service delivery against service-level agreements and service performance metrics.
  • Travel across M-KOPA's operating markets.
Desired Qualifications
  • Relevant degrees or certifications, such as ITIL, CISSP, or cloud/network certifications.

About the company

M-KOPA is a digital micro-financing platform that targets people who are underserved by traditional banks. It provides micro-loans with flexible terms to help customers progress in life, using a connected, digital platform that processes payments in real time. The product works by offering small, affordable loans and tracking repayments through mobile or online channels, with interest earned on these loans as its revenue. Unlike some lenders, M-KOPA focuses on financially excluded communities and uses technology to reach remote areas where conventional banking is limited, keeping lenders and borrowers connected through a single platform. The company's goal is to expand financial inclusion by delivering fair, accessible financing that adapts to customers’ realities and supports their financial progress.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$721.1M

Headquarters

Nairobi, Kenya

Founded

2011

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Nigeria became M-KOPA’s fastest market to one million customers by February 26, 2026.
  • M-KOPA reported first annual profit in October 2025 and 50% average revenue growth.
  • Ghana passed 550,000 customers in May 2026, with sales reportedly quadrupling after launch.

What critics are saying

  • The 2025 ELRC racial-discrimination petition over employee shares remains active in Kenya.
  • M-KOPA Kenya Mobility still sits in FMO’s contracting phase as of September 1, 2026.
  • If e-motorbike defaults rise, development lenders can freeze receivables funding and choke growth.

What makes M-KOPA unique

  • M-KOPA reached 10 million customers across five African markets on July 22, 2026.
  • Its More than a Phone model bundles smartphones, insurance, credit, and device protection.
  • FMO backed M-KOPA Kenya Mobility in 2026, validating its pay-as-you-go asset-finance engine.

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Benefits

  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Remote Work Options
  • Paid Vacation
  • Family Planning Benefits
  • Fertility Treatment Support
  • Wellness Program
  • Mental Health Support
  • Conference Attendance Budget
  • Professional Development Budget
  • Hybrid Work Options
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan
  • 401(k) Company Match

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

2%
TechTrendsKE
Oct 8th, 2026
M-KOPA reaches 10 million customers as its solar financing roots give way to a broader African fintech business.

M-KOPA reaches 10 million customers as its solar financing roots give way to a broader African fintech business. 2 minutes read M-KOPA has marked its 15th anniversary after reaching 10 million customers across Africa, while recording a 45 per cent increase in revenue to $600 million in the 2025 financial year. The fintech company, which began operations in 2011 as a provider of financed solar systems, said three million customers joined its platform over the past 12 months alone. Its customer base now spans Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and South Africa. The growth has come as M-KOPA expands beyond solar financing into smartphones, digital loans and electric mobility, targeting customers who often have limited access to traditional financial services. "2025 was a record year for M-KOPA, with customer and revenue growth reaching new highs", said Chief Financial Officer Faraimose Kutadzaushe. "We maintained profitability while reinvesting as much as possible in our products, technology and distribution to scale our reach across Africa's massive, underserved market of everyday earners. We are still very early in our growth trajectory." M-KOPA said it remained profitable during the financial year while continuing to invest in its products, technology and distribution network. The company added about 200 full time employees during the year, representing a 9 per cent increase in headcount, while more than 5,000 sales agents joined its distribution network. The company now employs more than 2,500 full time staff and provides income-generating opportunities to nearly 50,000 sales agents across its markets. M-KOPA currently onboards about 10,000 customers each day and processes micropayments at a rate of 23 transactions per second, highlighting the scale of its pay-as-you-go financing model. Customer use of multiple products has also increased, with more users taking up smartphones, digital loans and electric mobility products during their multi-year relationship with the company. M-KOPA entered the smartphone financing market in 2020, marking a significant shift from its original focus on solar products. Since then, the company has recorded a five-year compound annual growth rate of 50 per cent. Its expansion into electric mobility has also gained traction in Kenya, where more than 10,000 electric motorcycles and three-wheelers financed by the company are now in operation. The fintech has simultaneously increased its focus on affordable smartphone manufacturing. Its investments have included technology acquisitions and the establishment of what it describes as Africa's largest smartphone assembly factory in Kenya. M-KOPA launched its latest X4 smartphone series this month as it continues to build its device financing business alongside its digital financial services and electric mobility offerings. The company said its latest results reflect continued demand for affordable financial and asset financing solutions among Africa's underserved consumers. Real ESG impact doesn't happen in panels alone, it happens in the rooms where financiers, operators, and policymakers actually align. Our GreenShift Forum 2026 cuts the noise, bringing together the people rewiring Africa's sustainability and energy frameworks for one focused day in Nairobi. Secure your seat. Go to TECHTRENDSKE.co.ke for more tech and business news from the African continent and across the world. Facebook Comments

TDPel Media
Oct 7th, 2026
M-KOPA acquires Finnish software firm KilpiTek for $8M to control smartphone locking technology

M-KOPA has acquired Finnish software developer KilpiTek Oy for $8 million, gaining direct control of technology that remotely locks financed smartphones when customers miss payments. The transaction, completed on 26 March 2026, comprised approximately $2.67 million in cash and $5.33 million in equity and other consideration. KilpiTek's device-locking software is central to M-KOPA's pay-as-you-go smartphone financing model, which allows customers to purchase handsets through an initial payment followed by smaller instalments. The technology provides credit risk management by restricting device access when repayments fall behind. M-KOPA said the acquisition brings critical technology infrastructure in-house, reducing reliance on external providers. The move could offer greater flexibility in integrating the locking system across different smartphone manufacturers as M-KOPA expands its financed-device operations.

THE BUSINESS WATCH
Sep 3rd, 2026
Jumia Festival delivers up to 70% discounts as Jumia, M-KOPA expand opportunities for Kenyan consumers and entrepreneus.

Jumia Festival delivers up to 70% discounts as Jumia, M-KOPA expand opportunities for Kenyan consumers and entrepreneus. September 3, 2026 Jumia Kenya has concluded another successful edition of the Jumia Festival, a two-week shopping extravaganza that brought together customers, vendors, and brand partners through unbeatable deals, exciting rewards, and innovative partnerships. Running from 24 August to 6 September, the campaign reinforced Jumia's commitment to making quality products accessible to consumers across Kenya while creating value for entrepreneurs and small businesses nationwide. The Jumia Festival featured discounts of up to 70% across a wide range of categories, supported by nationwide delivery, strong brand partnerships, order fulfillment capabilities, an extensive reseller network, and customer-friendly return policies. Throughout the campaign, customers benefited from flash sales, brand days, bundled offers, treasure hunts, and exclusive gifts, making the festival one of the most anticipated shopping events of the year. Among the highlights of this year's festival was Jumia's partnership with M-KOPA, demonstrating how digital commerce can be combined with financial inclusion and empowerment opportunities for Kenyan consumers and entrepreneurs. Through the partnership, customers and vendors had the opportunity to participate in promotional activities linked to M-KOPA's mobility solutions, including the chance to win motorbikes and related benefits. The collaboration underscores both companies' shared ambition to support economic participation and entrepreneurship. By combining Jumia's market reach with M-KOPA's innovative asset financing solutions, the partnership helps create pathways for individuals and small business owners to access tools that can strengthen their livelihoods and accelerate economic growth. This reflects Jumia's broader commitment to leveraging partnerships that deliver practical value beyond traditional e-commerce. "At Jumia, we continuously seek partnerships that create meaningful impact for our customers and vendors. Our collaboration with M-KOPA during the Jumia Festival is a great example of how innovation, technology and commerce can come together to unlock opportunities and empower more Kenyans," said Vinod Goel, MD, Jumia East Africa Throughout the festival, Jumia also introduced a range of engagement initiatives, including flash sales, happy-hour offers, treasure hunts, and special gift campaigns designed to reward loyal customers and drive participation across the country. As e-commerce continues to evolve in Kenya, Jumia remains committed to delivering convenience, value, and inclusive growth through strategic partnerships that enhance the customer experience while supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs. Featured. Tweets by business Watch. Business Watch directory. About. Business Watch is an online business portal that is set to marry both the traditional media and the digital media and bring them under one umbrella. Ad. Its detailed reports. * [download id="20060"] Cloud tags.

Khusoko
Jul 24th, 2026
M-KOPA reaches 10 million Customers as growth gains pace.

M-KOPA reaches 10 million Customers as growth gains pace. A customer views payment options on the M-KOPA app, the platform behind the company's growth to 10 million customers across Africa. M-KOPA has crossed 10 million customers across Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, a milestone the pan African fintech reached just six years after signing its first million. The company announced the figure on 22 July 2026 from its London base, marking one of the fastest scale ups in African financial services. It took M-KOPA eight years, from its first solar sale in 2012, to reach one million customers in 2020. Since then, growth has accelerated sharply: the company added nine million more customers in the six years that followed, and now onboards roughly 10,000 new customers every day. What changed in 2020. The turning point came when M-KOPA moved beyond its original solar financing business and entered smartphone financing. That shift gave rise to what the company calls its "More than a Phone" platform, which bundles a financed smartphone with embedded insurance, credit and device protection from the moment of purchase. The model targets what M-KOPA labels "Every Day Earners": traders, boda boda riders, tailors and shopkeepers who earn income daily but rarely qualify for loans from conventional banks. Traditional lenders require payslips and credit histories these customers do not have. M-KOPA instead builds repayment schedules around how its customers actually earn, using the smartphone itself as the entry point into a broader set of financial products. Jesse Moore, co founder and chief executive of M-KOPA, framed the milestone as validation of that approach. "Every Day Earners have always been creditworthy," he said. "What they needed was credit built around how they really make a living, not a payslip. Informal has never meant unviable. Ten million customers on, that's no longer a belief. It's proven." The numbers behind the milestone. | Metric | Figure | | Total customers | 10 million | | Customers added since 2020 | 9 million | | New customers per day | About 10,000 | | Average annual revenue growth since 2020 | 50% | | Daily payments processed | More than 2 million | | Total credit unlocked | More than $2 billion | | Distribution agents across five markets | More than 40,000 | | Devices produced at Kenya assembly plant | More than 3.3 million | | Customers reporting improved quality of life | 9 in 10, per independent survey | Why Nigeria stands out. Growth outside East Africa has picked up speed too. Nigeria, which M-KOPA entered in 2019, became the fastest market in the company's history to reach one million customers. The country has since taken in more than 170 million dollars in credit, according to recent reporting on the business. Ghana moved fastest from pilot to full scale operation among all five markets. That expansion rests on a distribution network built rather than borrowed. More than 40,000 sales agents now operate across the five countries, giving M-KOPA a direct line to customers that few competitors in the asset financing space, including Sun King, d.light and EasyBuy, can match at the same scale. Manufacturing at home. M-KOPA has also pushed into local production. In 2023 the company opened what it describes as the largest smartphone assembly facility on the continent, based in Kenya. The plant employs more than 400 people, holds global ISO certification and has produced over 3.3 million devices to date. That local manufacturing base underpins the financing model by keeping device costs down and supply reliable as the company signs up thousands of new customers daily. A business model that now shows up in the numbers. The scale up has coincided with a shift from growth at any cost to growth that pays for itself. M-KOPA posted its first annual profit in October 2025, alongside a sharp jump in revenue, and its Kenyan subsidiary alone had passed 1.6 billion dollars in cumulative credit disbursed by the following month. Average annual revenue growth has held at 50% since 2020, performance that has earned the company a place on the Financial Times list of Africa's fastest growing companies for five straight years and on CNBC's ranking of top global fintech firms for two years running. What comes next. M-KOPA frames the 10 million mark as a staging point rather than a destination. Company leadership has said the focus now turns to the next 10 million customers, extending the same model of embedded credit, insurance and device protection to a market where, by 2040, Africa is projected to hold the largest population of economically active people without salaried income anywhere in the world. If M-KOPA can keep adding customers at anything close to its current pace, that next milestone may arrive far sooner than the first one did. IK, a Masinde Muliro University grad, tackles social justice through journalism. He analyses news and writes on women's rights, politics, technology, law, and global affairs. 2026-07-17 2026-07-16

TLDR Africa
Jul 24th, 2026
Dutch development bank FMO commits $30 million to M-KOPA Kenya to finance electric motorbikes via pay-as-you-go.

Dutch development bank FMO commits $30 million to M-KOPA Kenya to finance electric motorbikes via pay-as-you-go. July 24, 2026 pan-africa 513 words Tl;dr. FMO is finalising a $30 million senior debt facility for M-KOPA Kenya Mobility to accelerate the transition to electric motorbikes. The funding is split into $22.5 million directly from FMO and $7.5 million under its Building Prospects label to refinance a bridge facility. Intelligence. M-KOPA Kenya Mobility, launched in 2023, provides electric two-wheelers and battery-swapping solutions to informal sector drivers on a pay-as-you-go basis. FMO's local-currency debt injection addresses a critical financing bottleneck in Kenya's 2-million-strong boda boda sector, where high upfront vehicle costs have slowed electric adoption. This local-currency structure will likely serve as a blueprint for M-KOPA to scale similar e-mobility credit solutions in its other core markets, including Uganda and Nigeria. Consequently, development finance institutions are expected to remain the primary drivers of green-mobility growth capital in sub-Saharan Africa while commercial lenders assess battery-depreciation risks. Filed under: Recommended reading. Picked for you by topic, popularity and relevance - not just the newest posts.