Quick Cart Is Building Africa’s B2B Neobank
Sep 7, 2024
David Brennan MBA
There’s something electric about listening to a founder talk about solving a real problem — not a marginal efficiency tweak, but a full-blown infrastructure gap that impacts millions.
That’s what I felt chatting with Joel Mutua, founder and CEO of Temba (formerly Quick Cart Africa), a startup that began as a food delivery service and is now building what could become Africa’s leading neobank for unregistered small businesses.
Key takeaways:
5 million+ small businesses in Kenya alone are unregistered and unbanked
Temba is turning delivery customers into long-term banking clients
When their MVP broke, they personally called 15,000 users to keep the flywheel moving
The mission: become the B2B bank of Africa, starting with microfinance and credit history
Sometimes the best infrastructure isn’t digital — it’s trust
“We thought we were solving last-mile grocery delivery. But the real issue? These small businesses couldn’t scale because they had no access to working capital.”
What Joel and his team uncovered wasn’t just a business opportunity — it was a structural void.
The Problem: Millions of Unbanked Businesses with No Credit Access
Temba initially launched as a B2C grocery and meal delivery service in Kenya. But it didn’t take long for the real issue to surface.
They were sending demand to small food vendors — but those vendors couldn’t keep up.
“We spoke with over 150 small businesses. The pattern was clear: they weren’t registered, couldn’t open bank accounts, and had no way to build credit history.”
In Kenya alone, there are 7.5 million small businesses. Of those, 5 million are completely unlisted — no business license, no banking relationship, and no ability to grow.
And this isn’t a small corner of the economy. Joel told me those businesses drive an $80 billion payment flow — 40% of Kenya’s GDP.
That’s when Temba’s mission shifted.
The Pivot: From Delivery App to Financial Infrastructure
“Our goal now is to become the biggest B2B bank for small businesses in Africa.”
Temba built out a B2B payments platform that gives these businesses four critical things:
Inventory ordering and SKU management
A wallet for digital transactions
A way to build credit history
The ability to request working capital loans with one tap
They also kept the logistics side alive — because the more demand they drive, the more those small businesses transact, repay, and build a financial identity.
It’s a full-stack play. And the growth flywheel is already spinning.
The Hustle: When the App Crashed, They Called 15,000 Customers
One of my favorite moments from our conversation was when Joel described what happened after Temba’s MVP app buckled under growth.
They had just partnered with one of the biggest events in Africa — Oktoberfest — and got slammed with 3,000 new users in 3 days.
“The app wasn’t ready. It broke. So we sat down in our office and started calling every single customer.”
No excuses. No ghosting. Just five people, phones in hand, reaching out to 15,000 users manually to rebuild trust and continue service.
“You can’t let your flywheel stop. Even if the tech breaks, the business has to keep moving.”
It’s the kind of founder-led grit most people talk about but few actually do. And it worked — not just to retain users, but to deepen the brand’s connection to its customers.
The Bigger Vision: A Platform for the Next Billion Entrepreneurs
Temba’s long-term plan is bold: to become Africa’s first neobank built entirely around small, unregistered businesses.
Why? Because no one else is doing it. And the need is massive.
“This is the next startup wave. We saw Silicon Valley. Then Europe. Then Latin America. Now? It’s Africa’s time.”
Their infrastructure is both online and offline — because in this market, that’s what’s needed. Tech matters, but so does physical reach, real relationships, and the ability to solve last-mile delivery and first-mile financing.
What’s Next for Temba
Joel and his team are focused on:
Scaling the fintech model across more African countries
Rolling out new financial products for SMBs
Finding the right partners to help them move faster
And yes — they’re hiring. If you know fintech leaders, builders, or operators who believe in high-impact problems and market-scale opportunities, send them Joel’s way.
Or as he put it:
“If you know Elon Musk, tell him I’ve got a job for him.”
Book a Free AI Assessment if you're building in infrastructure, emerging markets, or high-friction industries and want help figuring out where AI can support personalization, automation, or operational scale. We’ll help you break down your stack, map your flywheel, and deliver a strategic roadmap to add leverage where it matters most.
