Watu has released its 2024 Sustainability Report, showcasing significant progress in financial inclusion, clean mobility, and gender equity across Africa. The report details key achievements and commitments under its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives.

• Watu financed over 2,000 electric vehicles and 1.4 million smartphones in 2024, impacting over 8 million people.
• Andris Kaneps, CEO of Watu, emphasized that sustainability is central to the company's responsible impact.
• Women now comprise 38% of Watu's customers and hold at least one in three management positions, with female employment surpassing the 43% target across all markets.
• Over 20,000 riders and staff received road safety training in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
• Watu secured Bronze-level Client Protection Certification from MicroFinanza Rating (MFR) in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, adopting global standards for responsible financing.

M-KOPA, a fintech firm providing pay-as-you-go financing, has reached a significant milestone with 3 million active daily customers, having deployed over $2 billion in credit to underserved micro-entrepreneurs and gig workers across Africa.

• 9 out of 10 customers report an improved quality of life due to M-KOPA's services, up from 8 out of 10 previously.
• The company's model caters to "Every Day Earners" in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa, allowing access to essential items like smartphones.
• Since 2020, M-KOPA has enabled 2.5 million people to acquire their first smartphone, with 81% of female customers stating they couldn't afford one without M-KOPA's financing.
• 70% of customers use their M-KOPA financed smartphone to generate income, with 59% reporting increased earnings.
• In 2024, M-KOPA spent $236 million on local procurement and works with 35,000 sales agents, aiming for 10 million active customers by the end of the decade.

Kenya's ARC Ride has secured a $10 million debt financing commitment from Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers. This funding will be used to deploy 600 battery-swapping cabinets and 25,000 batteries across Kenya, significantly boosting the country's electric vehicle infrastructure.

• This financing follows a $5 million investment from British International Investment (BII) just four months prior, demonstrating strong investor confidence in ARC Ride's Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model.
• Mirova, focused on sustainable investing, will fund battery-swapping infrastructure at scale, while BII supported the deployment of 5,000 electric two-wheelers and battery-swapping stations across East Africa.
• Joseph Hurst-Croft, CEO at ARC Ride, stated that this partnership with Mirova is a "major milestone" for making electric mobility accessible and sustainable across Africa.
• ARC Ride currently operates over 170 battery-swapping stations in Nairobi, becoming a benchmark for standardized battery-swapping in Africa.