ChapChap App

ChapChap Africa

ChapChap App

Empowering MSMEs to become community-based financial access points, generating income and unlocking credit through digital transactions.

Kampala, Uganda

UGA

For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models

ChapChap is solving the problem of financial exclusion and limited access to digital financial services for underserved communities. In Uganda, over 80% of the working population operates informally, yet many entrepreneurs lack access to basic financial services such as credit, savings, and digital payments. Traditional banks often require collateral, formal records, or a credit history, barriers that most MSMEs cannot meet. Globally, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates that 65 million firms in developing countries face a $5.2 trillion financing gap yearly. In Uganda alone, over 2 million MSMEs struggle to access working capital and digital tools that can help them grow. Inadequate infrastructure, poor access to financial institutions, lack of digital literacy, and distrust of formal systems contribute to this problem. These challenges stifle business growth, reduce household incomes, and limit economic development. ChapChap addresses this by transforming MSMEs into access points for digital services, enabling financial inclusion from the ground up, helping merchants grow their businesses, and offering essential financial services to their communities.

ChapChap is a digital platform transforming micro and small business owners into community-level financial service providers. Through our Android app, these merchants, such as shopkeepers and pharmacy owners, can offer their customers a wide range of over-the-counter financial services, including utility payments, bank deposits, school fees, and mobile money transactions. Our solution empowers merchants to earn additional income while building a digital transaction history. This data is then used to assess creditworthiness, enabling them to access unsecured working capital to grow their businesses. ChapChap’s technology is lightweight, mobile-based, and designed for low-bandwidth environments, making it ideal for underserved communities. Merchants only need a smartphone and basic training to get started. The platform uses secure APIs to integrate with service providers and track merchant performance in real-time, allowing for data-driven decision-making and personalized financial support. We aim to create a financially inclusive ecosystem where merchants become catalysts for digital transformation in their communities.

Our solution primarily serves micro, small, and informal business owners in Uganda, many of whom operate in peri-urban and rural communities. These entrepreneurs often lack access to formal financial services, including affordable credit, reliable income streams, and digital tools to scale their operations. They are underserved due to limited financial infrastructure, lack of credit history, and the high cost of traditional banking services. Many operate on thin margins and have no safety nets, making them vulnerable to economic shocks. ChapChap empowers these business owners by transforming them into financial service agents within their communities. Through our platform, they offer utility payments, mobile money, and other services, generating additional income and attracting more customers. Using the platform, they build a digital footprint that enables access to unsecured working capital based on real transaction data. This approach boosts their income and financial resilience and positions them as community hubs for financial inclusion. ChapChap helps lift these entrepreneurs and their communities toward greater economic participation and stability by enabling access to services and credit.