Michael Jordaan addressed the RMB Think Summit 2026 this week on strategies for African fintech companies. He argued that success comes from accepting market constraints rather than fighting them. Jordaan highlighted practical approaches used by firms like Clickatell and Optasia.
At the RMB Think Summit 2026 this week, Michael Jordaan, co-founder of Bank Zero, presented lessons on building fintech in Africa. He stressed that companies should design for basic phones, high data costs and cash-based economies instead of idealised markets.
Jordaan said firms must treat these conditions as competitive advantages. “If you want to succeed, you’ve got to treat these constraints as the moat, not as an obstacle,” he stated. He pointed to Clickatell’s use of USSD and WhatsApp channels, which reach users without requiring apps or data.
Optasia was cited as an example of working behind existing institutions. The company, listed on the JSE last year, processes more than 32 million loans daily at an average of 40 US cents each with a 1.2 percent default rate. Jordaan also noted Lesaka Technologies and Bank Zero as models that adapt to local realities like cash transactions and mutual bank licences.
He concluded that the reward goes to companies making “boring correct decisions” that survive regulation and thin margins.