Dots for Africa stands out for reaching people who are usually excluded from formal finance altogether. With more than 933,000 customers reached across 650 villages, it shows real scale and a practical path to income growth and resilience. 

Dots for Africa is tackling one of the biggest barriers to financial inclusion in rural Africa. More than 1 billion people remain outside the formal financial system, with no credit history, no collateral and no fair way to access capital. This blocks them from buying productive assets that could help them earn more and build resilience. Dots for responds by running solar-powered digital hubs in off-grid villages and using the payment and behaviour data from these services to create alternative credit scores. That allows people to access Buy-Now-Pay-Later finance for income-generating assets such as tricycles and refrigerators. The impact is already substantial. By March 2026, the organisation had deployed hubs in more than 650 villages and reached over 933,000 customers across Benin, Senegal and Zambia. It has provided more than $1.58 million in asset financing, with a 97% repayment rate. For 100% of its BNPL users, this was their first-ever access to formal financial services, giving people a practical route to income growth and long-term financial resilience.