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Mukuru (www.Mukuru.com), a leading financial services provider, has launched its Visa-branded Companion Card in Botswana. Linked to the Mukuru Wallet, this new offering expands its functionality and enables customers to make secure, cashless payments for everyday purchases directly from their Wallet balance.

With the Mukuru Wallet, customers already manage their money from their phones. Now, the Companion Card extends that convenience to in-person spending. Because the Card is linked directly to the Mukuru Wallet, there is no need to transfer funds between accounts before making a purchase. This means no traditional bank account is required, and both the Wallet and Companion Card work across all mobile networks.

For consumers in Botswana, this means fewer trips to cash-out points and greater access to cashless payment options. Customers can now pay for groceries, transport, utilities, school fees, and online shopping wherever Visa is accepted, bringing digital transactions into daily life.

The launch is timely because it addresses a critical gap in a market where digital infrastructure is robust but financial exclusion persists. Botswana has one of Africa's highest mobile penetration rates at 166%, with approximately 4.21 million connections in a population of 2.54 million. (https://apo-opa.co/3U5Rowx) Despite this, access to formal banking has not kept pace, with current estimates suggesting that 38% of adults remain unbanked.

Security Customers can Trust

Security is a key feature of the Companion Card. A customer PIN protects every transaction, and online purchases benefit from Visa's 3D Secure authentication. If a card is lost or misplaced, customers can instantly block or stop it from their phone. In addition, as a registered Electronic Payment Service Provider in Botswana, Mukuru ensures that its services are secure and regulated, helping improve everyday financial access.

Thembani Moyo, Country Manager for Mukuru Botswana, commented, “Our customers already trust the Mukuru Wallet to manage their money. The Companion Card gives them a new, practical way to use it; so paying for groceries or topping up airtime is as easy as swiping a card, without ever needing to visit a branch or carry cash.”

The Companion Card is part of Mukuru's broader ambition to be a complete financial services partner for its customers. As Botswana's economy digitises and consumers increasingly expect cashless, card-based ways to pay, the Wallet ecosystem is designed to evolve alongside these needs.

Andy Jury, Group CEO of Mukuru, added, “This is about strengthening what the Mukuru Wallet can do for our customers. We're building a financial services brand around real, everyday needs, helping customers manage, move, and spend their money securely, and on their own terms.”

For many Botswana households, the Wallet and Card together offer a practical alternative to traditional banking, giving customers control over their money without the barriers that formal banking can present.

Amon Magunje, Country Manager for Visa, Botswana added, “Visa is committed to expanding access to the digital economy through secure and innovative payment solutions. For us, the launch of the Mukuru Companion Card in Botswana marks an important step in advancing financial inclusion, connecting more consumers to the security, convenience and global reach of the Visa network. This collaboration combines Visa's global capabilities with Mukuru's deep local presence to deliver greater value and choice to consumers across Botswana.”

Shathiso Choto, Head of Retail Banking, Access Bank added, “At Access Bank, we are proud to champion initiatives that expand access to safe and reliable financial services. Supporting the Mukuru Companion Card allows us to empower more customers to actively and confidently engage in Botswana's digital economy.”

Getting Started

Customers can sign up for a Mukuru Wallet via WhatsApp on +267 7718 4600, at any Mukuru booth, branch or accredited agent across Botswana. Once their Wallet is funded with a minimum of P50, they will be issued with a Mukuru Card. The physical card extends the functionality of the digital Wallet, giving customers a simple way to use their Wallet balance for everyday payments wherever Visa is accepted.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mukuru.

Media enquiries: 
Rose.Sande@apo-opa.com

About Mukuru:
Mukuru is a leading next generation financial services platform serving more than 17 million customers and processing over 100 million transactions across Africa and key global corridors. Founded over 21 years ago, it has evolved from its remittance roots into an integrated financial ecosystem, enabling customers to send, store and spend, while accessing a growing range of financial tools.

Designed for accessibility, Mukuru operates at the intersection of physical and digital services, supporting customers across varying levels of connectivity, documentation and digital readiness. The business combines scale with strong compliance, customer protection and operational resilience, completing 80% of verifications in under five minutes.

With a footprint across Southern, East and West Africa, Mukuru is committed to positive social impact, responsible innovation, financial inclusion and long-term value creation. Mukuru is fully compliant with South Africa's B-BBEE framework and has been certified as a Top Employer in South Africa in 2024, 2025 and 2026. It is also one of only four organisations to receive this certification in Zimbabwe for both 2025 and 2026.

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The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Mr Tebogo Letsie, has noted the damning Office of the Public Protector report relating to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and the improper funding of students.

According to the report, approximately 40 000 students across 76 higher education institutions were improperly funded to a value of R5.1 billion. The amount emanates from Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigation in terms of proclamation R88 of 2022.

Mr Letsie said the Public Protector's findings were concerning, but not entirely surprising, given the persistent governance, administrative and system challenges at NSFAS.

“The amount involved is astronomical. R5.1 billion is not a small amount, and we cannot treat this matter as just another administrative failure. These weaknesses have real consequences for students, particularly those from poor and vulnerable households who depend on NSFAS to access and remain in higher education,” said Mr Letsie.

Mr Letsie said student should not have to bear the consequences of governance failures and administrative weaknesses in an institution that exists to support their education. “We have said repeatedly that NSFAS must put students first. Students cannot be left to suffer while those entrusted with the administration of the scheme are preoccupied with governance disputes and boardroom squabbles. The focus must be on ensuring that students receive the support they are entitled to, and that public funds are properly managed,” said Mr Letsie.

Mr Letsie said the recently restored NSFAS Board must take the findings seriously and move with urgency to address the weaknesses identified.

“I hope the restored Board is paying close attention to these findings. It must act swiftly to strengthen governance, improve systems and ensure proper accountability for every rand entrusted to NSFAS. We cannot continue to have the same failures year after year,” said Mr Letsie.

Mr Letsie said the committee will abide by the recommendations from the Public Protector giving the committee 30 days to process the report and secure Parliament's approval before submitting it to the Public Protector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.

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South Africa has called for adequate, predictable and accessible financing, stronger capacity-building and equitable international cooperation to accelerate implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).

The call followed the conclusion of the seventh meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-7), held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 4 to 12 August 2026. The meeting was a key final preparatory milestone ahead of the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference, which will take place in Yerevan, Armenia, from 19 to 30 October 2026.

SBI-7 reviewed collective progress towards the 23 targets of the KMGBF and developed recommendations for consideration by the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) and the meetings of the Parties to the Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols.

South Africa participated actively in the negotiations, including through interventions on behalf of the African Group and the Group of Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries. The country emphasised that global ambition must be matched by the financial resources, technology transfer and institutional capacity required by developing countries to implement their commitments.

On resource mobilisation, South Africa expressed concern that international biodiversity finance remains below the level required to achieve Target 19(a) of the KMGBF, which calls for biodiversity-related international financial flows to developing countries of at least USD 20 billion annually by 2025 and USD 30 billion annually by 2030. South Africa maintained that the international biodiversity finance architecture must provide predictable, adequate and accessible support.

South Africa also supported continued oversight of the Cali Fund by the Conference of the Parties. The country stressed that contribution thresholds should not weaken the multilateral mechanism for sharing benefits arising from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources. Non-monetary benefits should include access to technology, know-how, scientific cooperation and research results.

During discussions on the global review of KMGBF implementation, South Africa cautioned against creating new obligations or increasing reporting burdens. The country maintained that findings should be interpreted in accordance with national circumstances, capacities and development priorities.

South Africa further advocated for biodiversity to be integrated into the policies and practices of sectors such as mining, agriculture, fisheries and tourism, linking biodiversity conservation with sustainable development, economic transformation and poverty reduction. Parties were also urged to support cities and other local authorities in developing local biodiversity strategies and action plans, while addressing barriers that prevent local institutions from accessing finance.

On communication, education and public awareness, South Africa, on behalf of the African Group, welcomed the draft global plan of action for education on biodiversity. At South Africa's proposal, the draft recommendation acknowledges the country's hosting of the 2026 global celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity under the theme, “Acting Locally for Global Impact.” South Africa also called for stronger alignment between the global plan and national biodiversity strategies and action plans, supported by adequate financial and technical resources.

The country supported the proposed thematic action plan on synthetic biology, while underscoring the need for dedicated and timely financing for capacity-building, technology transfer and knowledge-sharing. South Africa also advanced proposals to strengthen implementation and assessment of the Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols, including the operationalisation of access and benefit-sharing checkpoints, improved communication and regional cooperation.

South Africa further highlighted the technical and scientific support centre hosted by the South African National Biodiversity Institute and called for its full operationalisation as part of broader efforts to strengthen capacity-building and scientific cooperation.

While SBI-7 adopted several recommendations for consideration at COP17, significant differences remain, particularly on international finance and the operation of the multilateral mechanism on digital sequence information. South Africa will continue engaging constructively towards outcomes in Yerevan that translate global biodiversity commitments into equitable, adequately resourced and measurable implementation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of South African Government.