in24 starts in Uganda with Brightlife and Greenbay: unbundling credit from sales

in24 has started operations in Uganda. We have signed service level agreements with two last-mile distributors: Brightlife and Greenbay. in24 takes over all or part of their credit function. The distributors focus on selling and serving customers. in24 does the rest.

PAYGo works, but it is hard to run and hard to finance

PAYGo has brought solar and other climate solutions to millions of households. But it also turned every distributor into a lender. Assessing customers, collecting payments and funding a loan book needs systems, skills, people and capital that most distributors do not have.

The result: many companies face frequent stock-outs and cannot grow, even when customers are waiting. And funding is more and more concentrated in a handful of large companies.

Unbundling credit from sales

Our goal is to help last-mile distributors grow in a sustainable way, while making sure customers get not only access to a product, but also sustainable access to responsible finance. in24 does this by taking over all or part of the distributors' credit function. Customers get a credit decision within 24 hours, with no branch visit and no piles of paperwork.

Unbundling credit is better for customers, because customer protection is built in and customers build a credit track record. It is more efficient, because one credit platform can serve many distributors. And one larger, transparent portfolio is easier and cheaper to finance.

It also keeps things simple for distributors. More and more regulators expect anyone offering credit to be licensed. With in24, the lending sits with a licensed lender, so distributors can sell on credit without becoming a financial institution themselves.

Since starting, in24 has made 400+ loans with 98% repayment to date.

Brightlife and Greenbay

Brightlife, part of FINCA International, sells solar home systems, fridges, milling machines and solar generators in Uganda on PAYGo. By handing part of its credit activities to in24, Brightlife reduces its funding needs.

“Every unit we finance ourselves is cash we cannot spend on reaching the next customer. With in24 carrying part of our credit, that capital goes back into stock and into our sales network, so more farmers, shopkeepers, SMEs and households across Uganda get a solar system, fridge, mill or solar generator when they need it, not when our balance sheet allows.”

Sydney Ogada, CEO Brightlife

Greenbay, incubated by the venture studio Delta40, sells efficient appliances and solar products in Kenya and Uganda. Greenbay does not offer credit itself in Uganda. With in24, it can now offer credit to customers at the last mile.

“Many of our last-mile customers want our products but cannot pay cash. Now we can offer them credit, with a decision within 24 hours and no visit needed. We expect this to double or even triple our last-mile sales.”

Cedrick Tandong, CEO Greenbay

Why this matters for GOGLA members

Distributors can grow without becoming lenders. This reduces cash flow stress, drives profitability, and stabilizes the supply chain. Funders get a simple way to reach the last mile through one well-managed portfolio, instead of many small loan books that are hard to assess.

in24 started in Uganda, and Mozambique is next. Last-mile distributors who want to grow without carrying the credit function can contact us at hello@in24.co.

Funders who want to reach the last mile through one well-managed portfolio are also welcome to get in touch.

About in24: in24 is a licensed lender that takes over credit for last-mile distributors, starting in Uganda.