For years, Akwantuo Express has been the go-to transport service for students moving between campuses in Ghana. Known for affordable fares and reliable service, the company has built a loyal following. But as bookings grew, payments became harder to manage.

Cash handling, third-party glitches, and reconciliation delays were putting pressure on both the team and their customers. To keep its promise of convenience, Akwantuo needed a new way forward. 

READ ALSO: How Azar Transformed 100 Years of Service with Hubtel USSD 

That’s when the company turned to Hubtel’s Direct Debit API — and the impact has been transformative. 

Key Outcomes at a Glance 

• Significant revenue growth since adoption with steady monthly increases 

• 80% of transactions now processed through Hubtel’s API 

• 100% decreases in revenue leakages. 

• Instant payment confirmations build student trust 

• Simplified reconciliation saves time and reduces errors 

About Akwantuo Express 

Founded in 2016, Akwantuo Express started with a simple mission: to make student travel affordable, safe, and stress-free. What began as a campus-based service has grown into a trusted travel partner for thousands of students and travellers across Ghana. Today, Akwantuo is known not only for its reliable buses but also for its commitment to making every part of the journey enjoyable. 

Staying Ahead Meant Rethinking Payments 

As demand grew, Akwantuo realised that their biggest challenge wasn’t just collecting money, it was keeping track of it. With agents handling cash, money sometimes went missing. Add in the mix of different third-party providers, and reconciliation became a nightmare. 

“Sometimes the money collected didn’t add up to the tickets issued,” recalls Derrick Smith, Team Lead at Akwantuo Express. “Other times, it would take forever to match transactions across different systems. It slowed us down and made it hard to trust the numbers we were seeing.” 

The pressure was even worse during peak travel seasons when students rushed to campuses. Payments got messy, and the team spent more time chasing after transactions than focusing on their customers. 

It became clear that if Akwantuo wanted to stay on top, it needed a simpler, more reliable system — one that could secure every cedi and make reconciliation effortless. 

A Better Way with Hubtel 

In its search for a better system, Akwantuo discovered the Hubtel Direct Debit API. Already familiar with Hubtel’s reputation in Ghana’s e-commerce space, the team trusted it could deliver. 

The integration was straightforward, and the benefits were visible. 

“Now, when a student books, the payment reflects instantly,” Derrick shared. “The Hubtel merchant dashboard tracks everything automatically. There is no stress and no chasing reports.” 

The Impact 

Since adopting Hubtel’s Direct Debit API, Akwantuo has seen a major shift in how payments flow through the business. 

• Faster settlements: Payments reach the business quickly, giving better control over cash flow. 

• Reduced revenue leakages: Missed or delayed payments are minimised, ensuring every transaction is captured. 

• High transaction adoption: Over 80% of bookings are now paid through Hubtel. 

• Simplified reconciliation: The finance team no longer spends hours tracking mismatches. 

• Improved customer experience: Students receive instant confirmation, boosting trust and confidence in the brand. 

• Revenue growth: Consistent collections and fewer payment drop-offs support steady month-on-month business growth. 

“It’s changed the way we run our operations,” Derrick adds. “Cash flow is steadier, our team spends less time fixing issues, and students trust the process more. That trust is what keeps them coming back.” 

READ ALSO: Now, Pay Small Small for the Things You Love 

Growing With Hubtel 

With payments under control, Akwantuo is setting its sights on expansion. The company plans to extend its services to more campuses and regions, knowing Hubtel will scale with them. 

“Hubtel has given us control over our payments,” Derrick concludes. “It’s reliable, simple, and it allows us to focus on what really matters — making student travel stress-free.”

Kokomlemle, Accra – September 11, 2025 – Hubtel, Ghana’s leading payment service provider, today announces the appointment of Simon Poole and Marjorie Saint-Lot to its Management Advisory Council, strengthening its vision to expand across Africa and reinforce its position as one of the continent’s most trusted digital commerce and payment enabler. 

The addition of Simon Poole and Marjorie Saint-Lot to its advisory leadership brings extensive expertise in finance, governance, capital markets, digital transformation, and cross-border expansion. 

Simon Poole – Finance, Governance & Value Creation Expert 

Simon Poole is a distinguished finance and investment leader whose career spans more than three decades across Africa, Europe, and international markets. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with PwC London, where he worked on landmark privatizations and management buyouts, he joined Bank of America as Vice President of Corporate Finance, building its advisory services for telecom clients and structuring complex debt and equity deals. 

His career took him into operational finance, where he pioneered shareholder value-based performance metrics, and then at Celtel International. At Celtel, Poole held CFO roles across multiple African markets before becoming Group Financial Controller in Amsterdam. He played a pivotal role in Celtel’s growth into one of Africa’s largest telecom operators, culminating in its landmark $3 billion acquisition by Zain. 

In 2011, Poole became an Operating Partner at Helios Investment Partners, Africa’s largest private equity firm with $3.5 billion under management. For over a decade, he served on boards and committees across diverse sectors, helping to rebuild management teams, embed Lean Six Sigma operational discipline, and elevate governance standards. His leadership contributed directly to the transformation and IPOs of several major companies: CAB Payments, which grew fifteenfold and listed on the London Stock Exchange as part of the FTSE 250; Helios Towers, one of Africa’s leading telecom infrastructure companies, which also listed in London in 2019; and Vivo Energy, carved out from Shell and floated in 2018. He also chaired the board of Solevo, a pan-African agricultural inputs distributor, strengthening its route-to-market and farmer engagement before its sale to DPI. 

Poole has also contributed to the rise of Africa’s fintech sector through board positions at Interswitch in Nigeria and Fawry in Egypt, both of which have become industry leaders in payments and digital services. Across his career, he has combined capital markets expertise with governance rigor to deliver sustainable value creation in frontier and emerging markets. At Hubtel, Simon brings unmatched experience in IPO leadership, financial discipline, and risk management to help the company achieve its vision of becoming Africa’s most useful company. 

Marjorie Saint-Lot – Digital Transformation & Market Expansion Strategist 

Marjorie Saint-Lot is a global executive with more than 20 years of experience leading digital transformation, financial inclusion, and market expansion initiatives across Africa, Europe, and North America. Fluent in both English and French, she has successfully bridged cultures and markets, delivering growth and innovation in some of the world’s most dynamic and challenging environments. 

She is currently Head of Francophone Africa at Taptap Send, where she manages operations across 14 countries with transaction volumes exceeding $300 million monthly. In this role, she has spearheaded four new market launches and deepened the company’s role in connecting African families and communities to vital remittance and payment services. 

Previously, she held several senior leadership roles at Uber, where she oversaw operations in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Uganda, Tanzania, and Pakistan. In Ghana, she achieved profitability amid severe macroeconomic headwinds, proving the viability of new models in frontier markets. In Côte d’Ivoire, she led Uber’s operations to achieve 60-fold growth in just 12 months. Beyond growth metrics, Saint-Lot championed inclusion as Uber’s Women’s Empowerment Strategy Leader for Africa and the Middle East, creating pathways for women drivers and co-chairing Uber SSA’s women leadership programs. 

Before Uber, she spent nearly four years at Orange Côte d’Ivoire, where she directed high-value acquisitions worth more than €300 million and integrated subsidiaries in Liberia and Burkina Faso. Her leadership also drove innovative business models across mobile money, e-commerce, energy, and banking, positioning Orange as a leading player in West Africa’s digital economy. Earlier in her career, she held operational and strategic roles at Digicel Haiti, Veolia Transdev in France, PwC in Boston, and major financial institutions in Canada. She also mobilized €30 million in development funding for Côte d’Ivoire through her work with ADDR and the African Development Bank. 

Alongside her executive roles, Saint-Lot serves on the Board of Ecobank Côte d’Ivoire, where she contributes to Audit and Governance Committees. She is also the Founder and CEO of Yarey Consultancy Group, advising organizations on growth strategy and governance. She holds a Master’s in Financial & Economic Engineering from Université de La Réunion in France and a Financial Planning Diploma from George Brown College in Toronto. 

At Hubtel, Marjorie brings her proven expertise in digital strategy, cross-border expansion, and stakeholder engagement to advance the company’s mission of enabling everyone to participate fully in Africa’s emerging digital economy. 

Building Africa’s Most Useful Company 

With Simon and Marjorie on its advisory council, Hubtel is equipped with the leadership and insight to expand beyond Ghana and help shape the future of Africa’s digital economy. 

About Hubtel 

Hubtel is a leading technology company licensed by the Bank of Ghana as an Enhanced Payment Service Provider. 

The company makes it easy for people to find and pay for everyday essentials from local businesses of all sizes. Hubtel’s payment processing, messaging, and feature-rich platform enable users to pay bills, make payments, order food, and purchase everyday essentials. 

The Financial Times of the UK named Hubtel as Ghana’s fastest-growing company for the 2022 financial year. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Forbes Magazine have also previously featured the company. 

Hubtel operates 23 offices across Ghana and has about 700 direct employees. Founded in 2005, Hubtel’s mission is to drive Africa forward by enabling everyone to find and pay for everyday essentials. The company aims to be Africa’s most useful company, building a platform on which everyone can find, pay, and easily partake in the emerging digital economy across the continent. 

For over 50 years, Rabito Clinic has been a leader in dermatology and skincare in Ghana, delivering world-class outpatient services across 19 branches. However, as the clinic grew, managing payments became increasingly complex. What started as an operational challenge soon became an opportunity for transformation, thanks to Hubtel. 

The Struggle with Payment Systems 

Before Hubtel, Rabito Clinic’s payment system was a mix of cash and credit payments. With 70% of transactions being cash-based, the clinic relied on third-party providers to handle card and MoMo payments, but these systems were far from ideal. Payment issues were a constant bother for both staff and patients. 

“Before Hubtel, we’d often face payment glitches. Clients would sometimes be debited twice, or they’d have to wait a long time because the system was glitching. It was frustrating for both our patients and the team,” said the accountant. 

Tracking transactions was equally challenging. “With the other providers, it wasn’t that flexible. Sometimes we had to place calls to get reports,” noted the finance team. 

READ ALSO: 20 & Evolving: The Hubtel Journey

Finding the Right Solution 

When Hubtel’s team first introduced the All-in-One POS to Rabito Clinic, leadership was immediately impressed by its functionalities. They recognised that the POS had exactly what was needed to run their daily operations well. 

The Rabito Cosmetic Centre (RCC), which had struggled most with payment issues, was chosen as the pilot site for the All-in-One POS. The feedback from RCC was outstanding. The cashiers mentioned that the Hubtel POS performed better than any system they had used before.

RCC, and now Rabito at large, benefits from a simple, user-friendly dashboard, real-time access to funds, and the ability to track and download transactions instantly. Moreover, Hubtel’s competitive 1% transaction fee was a welcome change from previous providers. 

Transforming Payments with Hubtel’s All-in-One POS 

Implementing the All-in-One POS was a straightforward process. Within a week, Rabito Clinic had fully integrated Hubtel into its RCC branch and the impact was transformative. The team highlighted a few advantages: 

• Real-Time Access to Funds: Unlike previous systems that delayed settlements, the Hubtel POS allowed Rabito Clinic to access funds instantly. “We can log in immediately to push our funds and even automate settlements at the close of business. This level of control was a game-changer for Rabito.” 

• Simplified Reconciliation: Hubtel’s user-friendly dashboard eliminated the need for external support. “We don’t have to call anyone for transaction reports anymore. With Hubtel, we set things up ourselves,” the accountant said. 

• Enhanced Customer Experience: “As of last month, 61% of POS transactions were processed through Hubtel’s All-in-One POS, a big shift from our previous reliance on cash. Customers now enjoy the convenience of paying with their card or mobile money, and we have not received any complaints.” 

The Results: Efficiency and Happy Staff 

The difference was night and day. The Front Desk Manager shared, “Before Hubtel, we would usually get payment issues or glitches when clients were paying. They’d either be debited twice or have to wait a while because the system had an issue.” Now, patients can easily pay and get instant confirmation. 

Staff members are also able to track every transaction. “Even if I forget to print out a receipt or note a particular transaction, I can easily go back to the transaction history to refer.” 

It is evident from the expressions of the staff that the introduction of the All-in-One POS has made their work easier. Payment visibility has improved, reconciliation is now simple, and the clinic’s staff can focus on delivering exceptional patient care. 

“We now have payment visibility, and we get real-time access to our funds and can move them whenever we want,” the finance team explained. “This allows us to focus more on what truly matters: our patients.” 

Expanding Success Across Branches 

The success of Hubtel’s All-in-One POS at the RCC branch was just the beginning. Impressed by the efficiency and reliability of the system, Rabito Clinic has since expanded All-in-One POS to five additional branches. Today, six branches are using the Hubtel All-in-One POS, with plans to roll out the solution even further. 

READ ALSO: How Azar Transformed 100 Years of Service with Hubtel USSD

“We have seen how Hubtel has transformed our payment processes. The feedback from our teams has been very positive and we are looking forward to collaborating more,” the finance team shared. 

A Partnership Built on Trust 

“Hubtel has been a reliable partner, and we are grateful for the efficiency they have brought to our operations. With this solution, Rabito Clinic can focus on what we do best: helping patients feel confident in their skin,” the finance team concluded.