South African spin-out NjiaPay targets fragmented PSP landscape with an orchestration-first approach.
A New Player Tackling Payment Complexity
NjiaPay, a South Africa-based fintech spun out of communications app Talk360, is positioning itself as a platform designed to simplify how businesses across Africa manage payments. According to a recent interview with CEO and co-founder Jonatan Allback, the startup aims to “own the complexity” behind fragmented payment systems by consolidating tools into a single management layer.
The company emerged after Talk360 explored building a modern payment aggregator tailored to Africa’s diverse marketplace. NjiaPay was subsequently established as an independent entity in December of last year.
NjiaPay closed an oversubscribed pre-seed round exceeding $1 million at the beginning of the year. The round was led by HAVAÍC, with additional backing from prominent angel investors, including the founders of Anyfin, Banxware, and Maxidrive.
A Unified Platform for Merchants
Allback said NjiaPay’s core value lies in providing “a payments management platform that gives them access to all products, features and functionality they need to be able to optimize payments to increase their revenue.” He added that the company also helps clients “simplify their payment operations internally by giving them one reconciliation file, one portal for all their data, and also one unified checkout, regardless of how many PSPs or payment providers they work with.”
This model places NjiaPay above payment service providers rather than inside the payment flow. As Allback explained, “We sit above the PSPs. We aggregate the PSPs, and we are able to help orchestrate between the PSPs to help improve conversion and success rate for our clients.”
Growth, Funding, and Early Market Response
NjiaPay spent its first year securing capital, building its team, and refining the platform. In January, it closed an oversubscribed US$1.3 million pre-seed round led by HAVAIC, alongside Renew Capital and several angel investors. Allback summarized the year’s progression: “Q1 was all about building the team, Q2 was all about building out the pipeline and enhancing the platform, and adding a handful of new products, features and functionalities. Q3 was all about onboarding new clients.”
On adoption, he noted, “So far, I must say it has exceeded our expectations,” pointing to interest from both startups requiring multiple PSPs and enterprise clients seeking to improve their payment capabilities without becoming PCI-compliant. “A number of different types of clients from different industries or verticals have shown a significant interest in NjiaPay.”
Footprint, Expansion Plans, and Challenges
NjiaPay is currently operating in Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, with the latter representing the company’s core market. “We see about 80 per cent of our clients coming from South Africa, and the other 20 per cent a mix of African countries or international businesses entering or expanding in Africa,” Allback said. Expansion will be driven by client needs: “We have one client looking to go live in Ghana this year, and potentially looking at Ivory Coast and Cameroon.”
The company monetizes through a tiered monthly fee linked to transaction volumes and feature requirements. But integration challenges remain a notable hurdle. “When we integrate with a new PSP, for example, we might estimate it will take 3-5 days, and in reality it has taken closer to 3-5 weeks,” Allback said, calling the discrepancies in provider documentation and testing environments “one of the biggest struggles we have encountered so far.”
NjiaPay’s first year underscores both the urgency and opportunity in simplifying Africa’s fragmented payment landscape. With a platform built to centralize operations, aggregate PSPs, and reduce complexity for merchants, the startup is carving out a distinct role above traditional payment providers. Early momentum, strong investor backing, and clear demand from businesses across multiple markets suggest NjiaPay is well-positioned as a growing infrastructure layer in Africa’s digital commerce ecosystem.
For more news on African trade, visit our dedicated archives.