The Honourable Minister for Justice & Attorney General, The Honourable Minister for Communication, Digitalization and Innovation, The Honourable Minister of Youth Development & Empowerment, Director of Fintech at the Bank of Ghana, Chairman of the Audit Committee of Hubtel’s Board of Directors, CEOs, Distinguished Guests, Head of Departments, Partners of Hubtel, Staff of Hubtel, Our Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I’m sorry to disappoint all of you this evening. Unfortunately, I do not have a speech to give.

I have instead written a letter to God in the hopes that as you pray with us this evening, you will help me deliver this message to him.

My letter reads.

Dear God,

Tonight, I come before You not to ask, but to thank You.

20 years ago, none of us knew what lay ahead. Only You did.

When Ernest and I missed the chance to enter medical school at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology — a moment that felt like the death of our life’s plan and that of parents’ dreams. You were quiet, but not absent. The door closed gently, and even in our disappointment, You were there, building a better purpose for our future. If only we could learn how to wait, study, and get ready.

We didn’t know it then, but that rejection was the beginning of the redirection — a divine pivot. I asked You for guidance during those uncertain times. I prayed, “Lead me, oh Lord. Guide me to be useful. Use me as a vessel.” And You did — not in the lecture halls or the laboratory, but in the corridors of life, through failure and friendship, through events that seemed ordinary at the time, but were heaven-sent.

You gave us the greatest education outside the classroom. In one of the lessons, I ran for political office as President of the science faculty and lost — not just lost, but lost badly and pathetically. It was so painful, but You had better plans for me.

You placed me in a different kind of leadership — not through votes, but through favour. When Francis Kwantwi Barima handed me the role of Republic Hall Week Chairman, I didn’t know that I was about to learn the very lessons I would need one day to start and run a company.

That hall week — that event — it became our proving ground. Ernest and I, along with seven others, including our most tireless teammate, the now Honorable Minister of Communication, Digitalisation & Innovation, Hon. Sam George, we gave it everything.

And You rewarded our effort. The success of that event gave us hope. It gave us belief. It gave us a can-do spirit. It gave us self-confidence to start anything. It gave us direction. It gave us Hubtel.

Dear God, I still remember the morning of the 12th of May, 2005. The last day of school. I stood before my mirror and prayed to You. And when I opened my eyes, I felt ready. I walked out with courage, not knowing what would come, but knowing You were with me.

That same day, I went to Adum and printed our first business cards. No investors. No office. No fanfare. Just a name and a dream, and the promise of Your guidance. That was the day You allowed Hubtel to be born.

In the beginning, we didn’t know what we were doing. We only knew that as long as we stood for good and pursued love for our customers and mankind, You will be with us.

Dear God, we remember with gratitude the early years — the fragile, uncertain days between May 2005 and December 2008 — when faith was often our only capital.

When Ernest and I returned to Accra after our time at KNUST, You reunited us with our dear brother, Leslie Gyimah. Teaming up with him, You gave us more than just a laptop and a car. You gave us courage — the kind that comes from old bonds and shared dreams and a special friendship that can only be built at St. Augustine’s College. This bond became the foundation of something greater. This made us all give freely — of our time, our tools, our spirit — and in those fragile early days, Your quiet support carried more weight than anyone will probably ever, ever know.

Last April, You called Leslie home. And while our hearts still ache, we remain forever grateful that You placed him in the Hubtel story. His fingerprints are on the foundation of this company, and his memory will live in everything we continue to build.

Dear God, when You rewarded our labour with our first sale in October 2005, it was a cheque for GHS 500 from North American Airlines. It meant everything. We carried that cheque from bank to bank for over six weeks, trying to convince someone, anyone, that we were a real business. And in that waiting, You taught us our first real lesson in patience and persistence.

Then more cheques came — from travel agencies, old school associations, churches, even people sending SMS messages for parties and funerals. It wasn’t glamorous. But it was real. We ended that first year with gross revenues of GHS 6,000. We saw it not as profit, but as confirmation that You were working. Working for us, working through us, working for our good, working — as long as we did your good.

While we worked hard, we fumbled through letters and proposals and invoice and code. We stumbled through meetings and presentations and those moody live demos. We chased ideas that didn’t work, and some that barely survived. But somehow, You kept our drive alive — sometimes just enough for the next day, just enough for the next idea, just enough for the next good signal, or just enough for the next prayer.

Through all the early days we couldn’t pay ourselves, all the early days we sacrificed everything, days we wondered if we were just being foolish, You whispered to our hearts, “Keep going.” And we obeyed.

Dear God, today we remember with gratitude the year 2006, when we began receiving attention from the more formal sectors — banks, insurance companies and even the Bank of Ghana. Somehow, You helped us carry ourselves well enough to enter the boardrooms that once intimidated us. There, You placed several mentors in our path — IT managers like Mr. Romeo Bugyei, Mr. Joe Adjei, Mr. Alex Kissi, Mr. Tamakloe and many others. They didn’t just buy from us; they shaped us. We watched them run their offices, structure their meetings, manage their people. And we adapted their ways. They were quiet teachers. And we thank You for each of them.

By the end of 2008, when our gross revenues exceeded GHS 1.2 million, we came to You with a new prayer: Lord, give us a place to grow. A place to plant ourselves and build.

You answered that prayer through Mr. Gideon Anim — our landlord who became so much more to us. A man whose humility, guidance, patience, and fatherliness could only have been heaven-sent. Through him, You showed us that provision doesn’t always look like a miracle — sometimes it comes wrapped in wisdom and presence.

Those years laid the foundation for our first office building. Quiet, steady, and sacred.

Then came a new dimension. A season of favor we had not seen before. In 2009, You shifted something in our favour. The mobile networks that once overlooked us began to notice. And once again, Your timing was perfect. Because we were ready; sharpened by the quiet years and strengthened by discipline. Our preparedness met the opportunity You sent through the doors of the telcos, and a new era began: premium SMS billing.

Through the next few years, from 2010 onward, You allowed us to become a conduit for information and access. Through SMS content messages, millions of subscribers across Ghana began to experience something new — personalized services in banking, entertainment, education and premium notifications. We were helping build not just a new digital culture but also preparing Ghana for a new age of service digitization.

And then between 2011 and 2015, You allowed us to rise to a position we had never imagined. Out of 47 value-added service providers, Hubtel claimed nearly 40% of the market. We had matured. We had earned respect. And when MTN Ghana named us, their Top Revenue Earning Partner, we knew it wasn’t just an award — it was a quiet confirmation from You, that we had stayed the course.

But even in the height of success, You reminded us not to be complacent. In 2015, as internet access grew, the world began to change again. The very market we had helped pioneer began to disappear slowly. Customers began to prefer online experiences over SMS ones. But with all these going on, some of the early successes had gotten too much into our heads.

Even when the signs of decline became undeniable and the market was changing fast, we moved to ignore these signs, relied on our own knowledge, and responded. We expanded — new hires, new regions, new countries. At first, it felt like progress. There was energy again. But the lessons came quickly. The declining momentum of late 2015 rolled into 2016 and collided with reality. We learned the hard way — what not to do, how not to scale a tech company.

Finally, in 2016 our growth slowed. The momentum dipped. It was hard. Very hard. But it was NOT a punishment — it was a new prompting.

You were calling us again: calling us to reinvent, calling us to rediscover, calling us to build for what’s next, not just what was.

Dear God, as I have mentioned to You several times, we are very grateful for the growing pains You put us through from 2016 to 2018. When our momentum stalled, and the outlook became bleak, we felt it — not just in the numbers but in our spirits. The path ahead was no longer clear. But even in the fog, You sent us help.

You sent us Stanford SEED — a gift we never expected. Through the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the guiding presence of a man named Hans Daniel Nilsson, You gave us new eyes to see. We began learning, truly learning, how to build for scale — not just to grow, but to grow well.

By 2018, despite several changes, we were almost broken.

Too many product failures. Too many wrong turns. Too many hard situations. We were battered — not just as a company, but as people. We questioned ourselves. We doubted our decisions. We wondered if the best days were behind us.

But You, oh God, had prepared a remnant.

A few among us were ready to begin again — not the loudest, not the most decorated, not the most skilled, not most gifted, but the humblest. They were willing to lay down old knowledge, unlearn old ways, and trust You for something entirely new.

And from that brokenness, You brought forth a rebirth. In just one year, You led us to build an entirely new platform. A new company, really. New systems. New processes. A new vision. The ashes of failure became the soil of resurrection.

And through it all, You never left us. You generated new strength for the people You had prepared for our rebirth. You surrounded us with a new team spirit — and elevated our relationships from just coworkers to brothers and sisters in purpose. We have become family. Your people who have become the Strategy Committee of Hubtel.

Dear God, I am happy that the humble people You gifted us with from those days of difficulty have become the people who have believed in the new vision, even when we all struggled to explain what Hubtel was becoming. They stayed. They built. They trusted. And they too became vessels in Your plan.

Thank You oh God for the gift of Augustine Adjei, Bill Inkoom, Eric Gershon Akoto, Daniel Frimpong, Elsie Bram, Francis Wilson, Eben Boffour, Owusu Marfo, Michael Adom, Patrick Asare Frimpong, Jonathan Ansah, and their teams.

Even though we have seen our fair share of storms — competitors with more money, ideas that failed, unspoken intentions that became lawsuits, partners who walked away, and loved ones we lost too soon. Through it all, You were there in the quiet after every storm, rebuilding us with each small victory and reshaping us with each small defeat.

Dear God, from these loins of near despair the year 2020 came upon us with a world reeling from uncertainty and pandemic. We are most grateful that even in our fear of what was to come You began to lift our eyes again. Slowly, steadily, You restored our footing in the most surprising style.

In the midst of the pandemic, fear and uncertainty, You helped us listen more closely — to our customers, to one another, and most importantly, to You. And in that stillness, You gave us clarity: that our purpose was never just to build a platform, but to build systems for the progress of the people of Ghana. To create order, simplicity, elegance, and access in the simple transactions of everyday life that we all take for granted.

You helped us see that commerce — the simple act of buying and selling — could become a force for connection, inclusion, and even healing. You allowed the work of our hands to find favor — in communities, in government policy, in delivery systems and in national payment platforms. You gave us voice not to boast, but to serve.

And so tonight, as we did on day one, with hands open and heads bowed, we do not celebrate ourselves. We mark 20 years of this journey with a pause and not an applause, and we bow our heads in gratitude to say: Lead us, Lord. Lead us into the next chapter with the same grace that brought us this far. Make Hubtel a place of hope — for young graduates, for striving retailers, for uncertain start-ups, for business owners, and even for struggling large companies. Make us a bastion of innovation — not for fame, but for impact. Make us a company operated for good — deeply human, deeply honest, and deeply useful. Let Hubtel be a reminder to all Ghanaians that when You are in the story, no beginning is too small, no loss is final, and no dream is out of reach.

Thank You God for opening doors we never knocked on.

Thank You God for bringing us opportunities we didn’t even know how to pray for.

Thank You for making Hubtel one of the early successful Ghanaian enterprises and a testament to Your promise that more companies like Hubtel are coming from Ghana, built by Ghanaians, for the good of the people of the Republic of Ghana.

Thank You, God, for constantly stretching our faith and repeatedly teaching us that growth isn’t always in the numbers, and that sometimes, it is in the resilience to show up again and again and again.

Thank You God for teaching us not to chase success, but to seek usefulness. And that in our pursuit to be useful, You give us success — in Your own time.

Thank You God for being there with your ever-present guidance, when we had to pivot and change direction, when our numbers outgrew our management capacity, when we became an uncomfortable political topic, when the media negatively noticed, when the public misunderstood what we stood for, and when unfamiliar storms brewed. Thank You for writing it all for our good.

Thank You for every mistake that taught us humility.

Thank You for every small win that reminded us of Your favour.

Thank You for every single person who walked with us — from the beginning until now.

Thank You for how far You have brought all of us gathered here tonight.

Thank You for how far You have brought Hubtel.

Thank You for how far You have brought the people and the Republic of Ghana.

In Jesus’ name, I pray with thanksgiving. Amen.

Thank You all for your attention.

Kokomlemle, Accra – April 2025: Hubtel, the leading Ghanaian payment services provider commemorates its 20th anniversary this year. Since its founding in 2005, the company has been on a mission to make it easier for businesses to connect with customers.

Over the past 20 years, Hubtel’s story has been defined not only by bold decisions and breakthrough innovations but also by our willingness to learn from failure. Each setback has served as a stepping stone toward growth.  

The brand story started with SMSGH enhancing business-to-customer communication through bulk SMS messaging which quickly gained traction across the country.

What began as a small idea from three graduates on the campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has evolved into a company with the potential to become Ghana’s first tech unicorn.

As of 2023, Hubtel had securely processed nearly GHS 160 billion worth of transactions and transfers, a staggering achievement that solidifies its position as the leading payment services provider in Ghana. 

Today, the company serves over 8,000 businesses, 12 million customers and works with 932 delivery riders across eight cities in Ghana. The significant expansion from just three founders to a team of 722 talented professionals is a testament to its capacity to innovate and lead in the competitive fintech space. 

Speaking on the significance of this milestone, Alex Bram, Co-founder and CEO of Hubtel, said, “Reaching this 20-year milestone reflects our relentless focus on innovation and community. It’s a moment of pride, and we are proud of the role we’ve played in Ghana’s fintech growth.” 

Hubtel has pioneered innovations that have simplified commerce through its power app, enhanced government service delivery, and improved financial inclusion. The company’s Corporate Social Responsibility arm, Hubtel Pledge, has supported significant community projects.

In 2024, it contributed to the renovation of an 18-unit classroom block at St. Augustine’s College, which includes a state-of-the-art coding lab.

They also partnered with Amazon Web Services in 2023, to support the AWS B.A.S.I.C.S Summer Camp. This further highlights their commitment to community growth, with staff volunteering their expertise to train the next generation of tech leaders. 

Ernest Apenteng, Co-Founder and General Manager, emphasized, “Our journey is not just about numbers but about impacting lives. Hubtel’s focus has always been on empowering communities, and that commitment will continue.” 

In addition to these initiatives, Hubtel was recognized at the Ghana Fintech Awards in 2022, winning multiple accolades including Fintech Company of the Year, Fintech Platform of the Year, and IT/Tech Firm of the Year. These awards highlight the Hubtel journey and its role as a leader in driving financial innovation in Ghana. 

As part of the celebration, Hubtel will be hosting an exclusive thanksgiving dinner, bringing together partners, customers, and employees to celebrate this milestone, reflect on our achievements, and look ahead to an even more exciting future. 

This celebration is for every business, customer, and partner who has been part of our journey. As we step into the future, we are not merely chasing possibilities; we’re shaping the future of digital payments and e-commerce in Africa.  

With a solid foundation and an unwavering commitment to innovation, Hubtel remains dedicated to driving Africa forward by ensuring that everyone can find and pay for everyday essentials.  

Here’s to 20 years of connecting businesses to communities! 

We are excited to announce that Hubtel is now ISO 27001:2022 certified! 

What is an ISO 27001 certification? 

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an independent, global body that sets standards for best practices across industries. Among these standards is ISO 27001, the internationally recognized benchmark for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). 

This certification provides companies with a structured framework for establishing, maintaining, and improving their information security management practices. 

For Hubtel, achieving this certification means we have implemented industry-best security measures to protect data, mitigate risks, and uphold the highest security standards in managing sensitive information.

We have been compliant with the previous standard, ISO 27001:2013, since 2020. With this latest certification, we have strengthened our security framework even further, ensuring continuous protection, resilience against evolving threats, and greater trust for our customers and partners. 

What does this mean for our Customers and Partners? 

Security has always been a top priority at Hubtel. This certification reinforces our commitment to safeguarding our systems, customer data, and partner information. 

1. Strengthened Security & Reduced Risks 

We have taken proactive steps to reduce vulnerabilities to cyber threats. With a robust system in place, we can swiftly respond to evolving security risks while ensuring our people, processes, and technology are equipped to handle potential threats. 

2. Protecting Critical Information & Assets 

We have prioritized securing critical assets such as financial records, intellectual property, employee data, and third-party information. Our centrally managed security framework ensures that all information—whether paper-based, cloud-based, or digital—is protected, confidential, and easily accessible when needed. 

3. Enhanced Efficiency & Cost Savings 

By optimizing security operations, we have improved efficiency while ensuring long-term cost-effectiveness. Our structured approach to risk management and resource allocation helps us maintain operational stability without unnecessary expenses. 

READ ALSO: Beyond Instinct: How the Code Confidence Index (CCI) is Transforming Code Quality at Hubtel 

With this certification, Hubtel joins a select group of global enterprises with world-class information security practices. Our customers and partners can trust that their data is handled with the highest level of security and compliance. 

For more details about our security measures, visit Hubtel’s Information Security Policy. 

You can also view our official ISO 27001:2022 certificate here.

Picture this: It’s the end of the week, you’ve run out of groceries, and your electricity and water bills are staring at you, waiting to be paid. You don’t have money readily available to cover all these expenses upfront. 

We have the right solution for you in this situation: Pay Small Small. A new payment option on the Hubtel app that does exactly as the name suggests. 

What is Pay Small Small? 

Pay Small Small is a flexible way to manage your expenses. With Pay Small Small as a payment option, you do not have to pay the full amount upfront. It allows you to settle your everyday expenses in four installments. First, you make an instant payment of a fraction of the amount, and the rest is broken down into three equal weekly installments, with interest included.

Pay Small Small is: 

Budget-friendly 

Pay Small Small enables you to spread costs into smaller, more manageable payments. You can enjoy what you love in real-time while making payments in three weekly installments after paying only a fraction of the amount upfront. 

Offers financial assistance 

By breaking down expenses into smaller, more manageable payments, Pay Small Small provides the financial assistance needed to afford everyday essentials and sort out bills without having to settle the full amount upfront. 

So, how does this work? 

When paying a bill at checkout on the Hubtel app, just choose Pay Small Small as your payment option. 

If it is your first time using this payment option, you will need to complete the activation process first with your Ghana card and a photo, which will be verified against your ID by the National Identification Authority (NIA). 

To be eligible for Pay Small Small, you must have a good credit rating of 400 or above. A credit score algorithm determines this based on your purchase history and other factors.

Once approved, you can proceed to use it as your payment option. You won’t have to go through the verification process again the next time you use the feature. 

Currently, this payment option is available to MTN and Telecel subscribers only. 

Want to learn more about how it works? Go to hubtel.com/pay-small-small 

Over the past few days, officials of some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and media commentators have sought to put out false statements about Hubtel’s work at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

Some of these false statements seem to be designed to totally discredit the work Hubtel has done in the recent transformation and record-breaking achievements in ECG’s revenue collection and commercial operations. Other false statements have also tried to
paint the picture that Hubtel is part of a procurement scheme that has received payments for no work done.

The table below provides factual responses to these false claims and statements.

For the avoidance of doubt, the new commercial systems designed, developed, and implemented by Hubtel and other service providers have only been involved in ECG’s operations since March 2023. Therefore, attempts by some CSOs and media commentators to link our work to ECG’s past financial performance and legacy matters are completely misleading.

Hubtel remains a company deeply rooted in the ideals of good governance, transparency, and an unyielding determination to contribute to the development of the digital economy in Ghana. We wish to assure the general public that our service at ECG has been guided by these principles at all times.

We also remain extremely proud that after several initiatives and investments in the past (costing hundreds of millions of US dollars) aimed at improving ECG’s revenues, that Hubtel, a company founded and managed by Ghanaians, possesses the technology and expertise to transform ECG and set it on the path towards commercial profitability at a fraction of the past investments.

We urge the general public to disregard these misleading comments.

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.

Find out more at www.hubtel.com

Imagine this: you’re a developer tasked with building an app that needs to send text messages to users or accept mobile money payments. In the past, this could mean hunting down outdated PDFs filled with technical jargon and waiting for updates. But fear not, because Hubtel’s developer portal is here to make your life easier! 

Think of the portal as your one-stop shop for everything related to integrating Hubtel’s communication features into your app. No more endless searches or waiting games. This user-friendly platform provides everything you need in one central location, accessible anytime you need it. 

So, what exactly can you find on the Hubtel developer portal? Let’s break it down. 

First up, there’s the API documentation. This is basically a detailed instruction manual, written in clear and simple language, that explains how to connect your app to Hubtel’s tools. Don’t worry if technical terms pop up here and there; the portal is designed to be easy to understand, even for beginners. 

Next, you’ll find a section dedicated to API credentials. These are like secret keys that allow your app to talk to Hubtel’s system. The portal makes getting these credentials a breeze, so you can skip the hassle and focus on building your amazing app. 

But wait, there’s more! The developer portal isn’t just for sending text messages. If you’re working on a larger project for a big company, you’ll also find tools for processing payments directly through your app. This means your users can pay for services or products without ever leaving your app, making things super convenient for everyone. 

Now, you might be wondering who can benefit from this developer portal. The answer is simple: everyone! Whether you’re a solo developer working on a small app or part of a large team building a complex system, the portal has something to offer. 

For small businesses and individual developers, the portal makes it easy to add features like SMS notifications to your apps. This could be anything from sending appointment reminders to keeping customers updated on their orders. The clear documentation and simple credential management make it a snap to get started, saving you valuable time and frustration. 

For larger companies, the portal unlocks a whole new level of functionality. You can use Hubtel’s APIs to streamline your payment processing system, allowing customers to pay for services directly within your app. Plus, you can leverage bulk SMS capabilities to send targeted messages to large groups of users, keeping them informed and engaged. 

The bottom line? The Hubtel developer portal is for anyone who wants to add powerful communication tools to their apps. It’s a self-service platform that puts everything you need at your fingertips, from clear instructions to easy-to-obtain credentials. With positive user feedback highlighting its user-friendliness and efficiency, the portal is making Hubtel’s communication tools more accessible than ever before.  

“It feels like just yesterday that I joined Hubtel. Over my six years here, I’ve worn many hats, and each role has taught me something new. I feel like I’m learning every day,” shares Alvin Aborjoe, Zonal Manager for Kokomlemle. Since starting as a Customer Relationship Manager in 2018, Alvin has navigated various roles and departments before assuming his current role, overseeing Hubtel’s operations in Kokomlemle. 

How has your role evolved at Hubtel? 

“I began as a Customer Relationship Manager at Hubtel in 2018. My primary task at the time was to promote our service to mobile money vendors. After focusing on that for a while, my main responsibility shifted to selling our POS systems to customers. I did that for some time before my role changed to Retail Relationship Manager. In this new role, my responsibility was to help businesses manage their storefronts. 

During this period, Hubtel was exploring quick commerce. Because of my relationships with retailers as a Retail Relationship Manager, I was moved to join the Quick Commerce team. 

My role changed again to Zonal Manager in the Commercial and New Markets department, which is my current role. This was during the introduction of the Hubtel app, and my task was to onboard retailers and restaurants onto the platform. 

Each role I’ve had at Hubtel has taught me something new and has allowed me to apply my skills and experience in new ways. It’s been an interesting journey, I must say.” 

What does your day-to-day look like? 

“As a Zonal Manager at Hubtel, my day revolves around coordinating the activities of my subordinates. I oversee sales operation executives, retail relationship executives, and riders daily for the Kokomlemle zone. Their activities are interconnected and operate like a conveyor belt. Each role impacts the others, and I ensure everything runs smoothly. 

It begins with Retail Relationship Executives (RREs) bringing the most sought-after restaurants or items in Kokomlemle onto the app. They create awareness and activations to inform customers that they can find their favourite restaurants on the app. Next, Sales Operation Executives (SOEs) ensure that orders from customers are fulfilled. They contact the restaurants to confirm orders and then get in touch with the riders to pick up the orders and deliver them straight to the customers. The riders deliver the orders, verify a code to confirm the delivery, and the cycle continues. 

So, my role is to ensure the conveyor belt moves smoothly without any hitches.” 

How does your role contribute to Hubtel’s success? 

As a Zonal Manager, I ensure smooth operations within my zone, fostering good relations between customers and Hubtel, as well as between partner retailers and Hubtel. Additionally, we gather customer feedback, find popular retailers, and actively onboard them onto our app. This ensures customers at Kokomlemle have a wide selection of restaurants to choose from and can find their everyday essentials on the app, thereby driving profitable growth for Hubtel. 

What excites you most about working at Hubtel? 

“First, I would say the people. At my previous employer, I was just an employee—I can’t quite describe it any other way. But here at Hubtel, it’s different; you’re not just an employee, you’re part of a family. I value the relationships I’ve built here. When you meet a new colleague, it doesn’t take long before you find yourselves working well together. My second favourite thing would be the room for growth it provides.  

My second favourite thing is the room for growth it provides. Currently, as part of my role as a Zonal Manager, I oversee the onboarding of pharmacies and shops. This is another opportunity for me to learn and grow. Let’s see where it takes me from here. ” 

And to wrap things up, what’s your favourite food to order on the app? 

“I’m not being biased, but my favourite dish to order is Banku with oilless okro from Liquid and Grill. Oh my God, if you’re not a fan of palm oil, this combo will amaze you. Just place the order.” 

Like many businesses in Ghana and across Africa, Bakeshop Classics is undergoing a digital transformation to enhance its operations. Their initial steps included adopting digital payments and signing onto Hubtel, making it easier for customers to purchase their favorite treats without visiting the physical store. 

Passion and talent turned into a business 

Bakeshop Classics has been in operation for more than 30 years. The business was started by Mrs. Blanche Musah Agyemang upon her retirement from the corporate world, where she served as a secretary to several notable firms. “This business was born out of passion,” says Mr. Dan Asare, Business Development Consultant of Bakeshop Classics. “One favourite story Mrs. Musah Agyemang loves to share is how, at the age of 12, she baked a cake for a dearly loved teacher’s birthday and received glowing praise. Many years later, upon approaching retirement from Swissair, she decided to try her hand at commercial baking. Surprisingly, the business was an overnight success, spread only by word of mouth.” 

Currently, the bakery has two branches, one in La and the other in Spintex, with a staff of 75. Bakeshop Classics has always ensured they put the right measures in place to keep the business growing and to retain customers. “We have always had a sincere approach to business,” says Mr. Dan Asare. “As such, we ensure we use the finest baking ingredients for everything we sell here: pastries, bread, and cakes. Additionally, we make sure there are no leftovers, especially on the pastries side. Customers are always served freshly baked pastries.” 

Steering the business for growth 

“As a business, we make it a point to keep up with current trends. With this in mind, we set out with a new objective: a 360-degree digital transformation to meet customers at the point of their need. We started looking for avenues that could help us achieve our goal, and that’s when Hubtel came into the picture.” 

The primary business goal that prompted Bakeshop Classics to shift to Hubtel was to ensure customers received the best service at every touchpoint. This included having minimal friction when making payments and meeting customer needs right at their doorstep. 

To achieve this, they decided to integrate an online storefront with their physical storefront by signing onto Hubtel. This enabled them to deliver orders directly to customers wherever they were, offering flexibility to their customers and increasing sales for the bakery. 

The bakery also adopted Hubtel’s Unique USSD to enable mobile money collections from all networks. With the Unique USSD, customers can make payments on any mobile device without the need for internet connectivity. This method of payment is simple for customers, and for the business, it allows tracking of sales with the dashboard provided. It also reduces the risk of losing money if a payment does not go through, which was a common issue when using the traditional method of collecting mobile money payments. 

Leveraging Hubtel for growth  

Using Hubtel to receive payments and signing onto the Hubtel app were not the only benefits Bakeshop Classics gained. The dashboard that accompanied the Unique USSD provided a solution to another challenge they faced: maintaining a comprehensive customer database. 

“One major challenge we faced was capturing customer data. The dashboard that came with the Unique USSD to track payments automatically solved that problem. Now, with the database we have, we can leverage it for marketing purposes. We send SMS messages to customers for special occasions and promote ongoing promotions, among other uses.” 

With Hubtel, Bakeshop Classics has been able to: 

• Keep track of sales 

• Drastically reduced friction when it comes to receiving payments 

• Build months of data on autopilot, to help with marketing, planning, and forecasting  

• Increase sales by signing onto the Hubtel app 

Pivoting a business can be challenging without the right tools and solutions. The team at Bakeshop Classics believes that with Hubtel, they are moving in the right direction. By meeting customers at their doorstep and making payments faster and more frictionless, they have enhanced their overall customer service delivery and maintained their mass appeal to a wide range of customers while strategically evolving their business to meet current trends. 

We know Gen Z and Millennials are different. But how different are they when it comes to food? With a street survey of what both generations have been ordering, we sought to find the favorite foods of these two generations and what they enjoy eating the most for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Before we dive into the blog post, any guesses on the favorite meals of these two generations? 

Breakfast: What do we have on our plate? 

Could waakye be the country’s official breakfast? Well, both generations seem to agree. It’s interesting to know that when it comes to breakfast, these two generations are not very distinct—they both enjoy a delicious bowl of Hajia’s waakye to start their day.  

What’s for lunch? 

When it comes to lunch, both generations have a shared favorite—Jollof. It’s interesting to note that the two generations have similar meal choices for lunch. The top three lunch meals for both Gen Z and Millennials are jollof, fried rice, and waakye. 

Dinner is served! 

So far, dinner is where the two generations show different preferences. While most Gen Z will order fried rice for dinner, Millennials enjoy jollof for their evening meal. 

Extra bites 

From our data, we noticed some interesting patterns about these two generations. We observed that when it comes to selecting other meal options for lunch, many Millennials prefer Fufu over Gen Z. There is a higher number of Gen Z ordering Indomie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, particularly lunch. Additionally, Millennials tend to order plain rice more often than Gen Z does. 

Nonetheless, a firm favorite among both generations is Jollof, which remained in the top two choices for food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Hungry? Order your favorite food and get it delivered in no time. Tap here to download the Hubtel app. 

Golden Crystal Experience is a hotel located in Adiriganor, East Legon, offering a variety of accommodations for short-term stays. Clients can choose from standard hotel rooms, as well as studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments. The Hotel is constantly being rated number one for customer service. However, despite its commitment to excellence, the hotel faced significant challenges with payment processing. 

Challenge  

Originally, Golden Crystal processed payments with handheld POS devices provided by its former service provider, which could not adequately meet their needs. “The challenge we encountered was that processing payments and the speed at which money was received were both slow,” says Mr. Ben Nortey, the CEO of Golden Crystal Experience. This issue of tied-up finances affected their cash flow because, in the hospitality industry, the timing of expenses and income needs to align to ensure smooth operations. He stated, “Previously, payments would take anywhere from one to two weeks or longer to be credited to our account. For a business such as a hotel, any delay has significant repercussions on operations.” 

With this challenge, the hotel wanted a solution that would streamline its payment processing to keep its overall operations more efficient. That is when they turned to Hubtel. 

Solution

With the switch to Hubtel’s POS, the hotel processed payments three times faster than before, and the turnaround time for payments to reflect in their account significantly reduced. “Hubtel came into the picture and provided us with the freedom to receive a variety of payments much faster,” Mr. Nortey says. “While not instant, payments settle within an hour, which for us, is a massive improvement compared to the two to three weeks we previously had to wait for payments to reflect in our account.” 

In the hospitality industry, the time value of money is a critical factor. “The significance and value of the hourly reimbursement by Hubtel for us is substantial,” he added. “We don’t have the luxury of readily available finances, so being able to access our money quickly and use it without delays is amazing.” 

Secondly, the customer service provided by Hubtel is what keeps the relationship. “I have witnessed Hubtel’s growth over the years, and through it all, they never lost their personal touch. Whenever we had an issue, someone was readily available to assist,’ Nortey added. “Despite their immense growth, we haven’t encountered any issue that took Hubtel more than an hour or two to fix.” 

Another benefit for Golden Crystal is the commission price charged. “Previously, amidst the delay with reimbursement, our service provider charged a higher commission. Switching to Hubtel not only grants us faster access to our money but also proves to be more affordable,” he added.  

Results  

Considering what makes a business in the hospitality industry thrive—excellent customer service—Golden Crystal has always been mindful of elevating their clients’ overall experience. From the reception to the restaurant and gym, all touchpoints, including the flexibility of payment, whether by cash, card, or mobile money, must operate smoothly throughout a client’s stay to enrich the entire experience.  

With Hubtel’s POS, Golden Crystal Experience efficiently processes a variety of payment methods. Additionally, the POS integrates seamlessly with Golden Crystal’s existing operations. The web management dashboard allows for real-time tracking of transactions and inventory management. This level of efficiency not only enhances the guest experience but also optimizes the hotel’s operations, contributing to its overall success in the competitive hospitality industry. 

“Hubtel has always been personable and made us feel important. So even if another company could process payments faster, we would still choose Hubtel because of that personal element.” He further stated, “I don’t know how Hubtel manages to offer such speed of service, excellent customer support, and affordability, but they do it somehow, someway, and it’s superb.” 

Hubtel, Ghana’s leading payment services provider, has been ranked as the Fastest Growing Company in Ghana for the 2022 financial year in the latest Financial Times’ Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies ranking.  

The list, published by the UK-based newspaper recognizes businesses across the African continent that are achieving remarkable revenue growth. 

The FT ranking evaluated several companies based on their compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in revenues between 2019 and 2022. Hubtel’s impressive revenue growth performance during the 2022 financial year positioned it among the top companies on the continent.  

As the growing demand for payment services continues to heat up, the intersection of e-commerce and fintech is also driving Africa’s economic growth. This is evident in the number of fintechs named among the list of companies on the rankings. 

Hubtel was ranked 30th out of 125 companies in Africa, and follows on heels the achievements IT Consortium, another Ghanaian payment service provider that was ranked 17th in the rankings for the 2020 financial year. Other Ghanaian companies that made the list for the 2022 financial year are KudiGo and Zen Petroleum. In the rankings for the 2021 financial year, Enterprise Insurance and Zen Petroleum were also listed. 

According to the newspaper, “Economic growth in Africa, overall, in 2023 was 3.2%, according to the IMF – lower than in Asia, which grew at nearly 5%. And, given the African continent’s fast population expansion, this underperformance is even starker in per capita terms. Rather than closing the gap with wealthier regions, on aggregate, Africa is falling further behind.” 

Despite the harsh economic challenges the continent is experiencing, its companies continue to thrive and attract investments. South Africa has the most number of companies listed in the rankings with Nigeria also dominating. Companies from Morocco, Mauritius, Kenya, and Egypt also featured strongly. 

Hubtel’s history of being recognized in such continental rankings dates back to 2012 when Forbes Africa Magazine listed the company, then operating as SMSGH, among the Top 20 Technology Start-Ups in Africa. 

“Never be afraid to jump at the sun, you will never reach it, but your feet will leave the ground.” (Bram, 2017) 

And jump we did. The Hubtel story, often told, is a testament to the power of ambition and the lessons learned along the path of embracing failure.  

Origins and Early Wins: 

Founded in 2005 as SMSGH by Alex Bram, Ernest Apenteng,  and Leslie Gyimah, three ambitious undergraduates, the company started as SMSGH with a mission to simplify business to customer communication via SMS. The founders’ entrepreneurial spirit, honed through various earlier ventures, proved crucial in navigating early challenges. SMSGH saw quick success, making its first sale after five months and securing significant contracts within its first year. By 2007, the company was a pioneer, launching Africa’s first online SMS portals and alert systems for banks, reaching an impressive $1 million in revenue that year. 

Pivotal Transformation: 

Despite initial success, the company recorded slowing growth rates around 2013-2014, which prompted the need for a strategic shift. The company leaders participated in the Stanford Seed Business Transformation program in 2016 which led to the birth of the Hubtel brand with a new emphasis on payments and customer services. The Hubtel mobile app launched in 2017, aiming to be a “super-app” connecting users and businesses. Hubtel obtained approval from the Bank of Ghana to operate as an Enhanced Payment Services Provider in 2019, solidifying its position in the fintech space. 

Growth and Recognition: 

Since rebranding in 2017, Hubtel has experienced phenomenal growth, attaining a full license as an Enhanced Payment Services Provider in 2022 and becoming Ghana’s largest fintech by the end of that year. The company takes pride in its workforce, which has expanded significantly over the past 2 years to 650+ employees across Ghana, reflecting the company’s impact and success.  

The Hubtel mobile application taps into a vast market, with 4300+ restaurants and eateries, 632 pharmacies and shops, and 382 active riders in 8 cities across the country. This extensive network facilitates an average of 42,000+ orders monthly, serving a customer base of 10,500+ monthly.  

The Hubtel Legacy 

Over the past years, Hubtel has had a significant impact on various industries in Ghana, including telecom, entertainment, banking, education, retail, healthcare, and utilities.   

In the utilities sector, Hubtel worked with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) from July 2022 to plug payment processing leakages and grow monthly revenues by nearly 100% to GHS1.2 billion.  Due to this significant feat, in March 2024, the company signed a commercial agreement with the nation’s largest distributor of power, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)  

In the education sector, Hubtel provides a mobile application that helps schools manage school fee payments. This has streamlined payment processes and improved the financial management of early childhood schools across Ghana.  

In the healthcare sector, Hubtel has played a key role in the digital transformation of hospitals. This has increased efficiency and transparency, benefiting both patients and staff.  

Hubtel’s story embodies the power of innovation, adaptability, and unwavering dedication in a competitive tech landscape. The company transitioned from a focused SMS provider to a leading fin offering a ‘super-app’ that facilitates everyday transactions. Hubtel’s emphasis on pivoting to meet market needs and overcoming obstacles serves as an inspiration for businesses in Ghana and beyond. 

Discover more of the Hubtel story here: hubtel.com/19-years