# Cellulant (Tingg)

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/cellulant
> research date 2026-05-29 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [Cellulant — official](https://www.cellulant.io/)

## Overview

**Cellulant** is **a leading pan-African payments company** operating **Tingg** — its African payment platform <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [global-cro]</sup>. **Tingg processes 4.5+ million transactions daily** + **connects 35+ African countries** + **integrates 80+ financial institutions** (including **39 commercial banks + SACCOs + fintechs**) + supports **200+ payment methods** (cards + bank transfers + mobile money) + connects to **leading mobile-money operators + banks + card networks**.

**Strategic 2025 milestone** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: **September 2025 — Pesalink + Cellulant partnership** to power **instant bank-to-bank merchant payments in Kenya** — distinctive Kenya-bank-rail integration via Pesalink (Kenya's instant interbank rail).

**Founders' Pan-African vision** <sup>[4][4]</sup>: Founded by **Ken Njoroge** (CEO) + Bolaji Akinboro (Nigeria-CEO) — built into **pan-African payments ecosystem powering 35 countries** via Tingg single API.

## History

**2003 — Cellulant founded** <sup>[2][2]</sup> by **Ken Njoroge (Kenya) + Bolaji Akinboro (Nigeria)** as Africa's mobile-payments pioneer.

**2010s — Pan-African expansion** <sup>[4][4]</sup>: 35+ countries via Tingg platform.

**2023 — Tingg digital-payments platform launched for Zambian retail sector** <sup>[5][5]</sup>.

**September 2025 — Pesalink + Cellulant Kenya partnership** <sup>[3][3]</sup>: Instant bank-to-bank merchant payments via Pesalink rail.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **Cellulant Corporation** (with Tingg as its consumer-facing African payments-super-app brand).

**Co-founders**: **Ken Njoroge (CEO) + Bolaji Akinboro** — Kenyan + Nigerian fintech veterans.

**Major investors**: TPG Rise Fund, Endeavor Catalyst, Velocity, Satya Capital, Africa50, Apis Partners.

**Regulators**: Per-country across 35 African countries — **CBK (Kenya primary)**, CBN (Nigeria), BoG (Ghana), etc.

## Technical integration

| Layer | Description |
|---|---|
| **Platform** | **Tingg** — Africa's first payments super-app; single API |
| **Channels** | API integration + merchant checkout + Tingg consumer-facing app |
| **Identifiers** | Mobile money + bank account + card number |
| **African coverage** | **35+ African countries** |
| **Payment methods supported** | 200+ (cards + bank transfers + mobile money) |
| **Financial institutions integrated** | 80+ (39 commercial banks + SACCOs + fintechs) |
| **Daily transaction processing** | 4.5+ million daily transactions |
| **2025 Pesalink Kenya partnership**: Instant bank-to-bank merchant payments |
| **Tingg Zambian retail (2023+)** |

## Users & growth

**2025 baseline** <sup>[1][1]</sup>:
- **Daily transactions**: 4.5+ million (~135M monthly)
- **African countries**: 35+
- **Financial institutions**: 80+ (39 commercial banks + SACCOs + fintechs)
- **Payment methods supported**: 200+
- **Distinctive 2025 partnership**: Pesalink Kenya instant bank-to-bank merchant payments

## Use cases

African merchant cross-border payments via Tingg single API; mobile-money + bank + card unified payments across 35 countries; consumer Tingg super-app payments (8-country launch baseline); Kenyan instant-bank-to-bank merchant payments (Pesalink Sep 2025+); Zambian retail (2023+).

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: **Cellulant Corporation** (Ken Njoroge CEO + Bolaji Akinboro co-founder).

**Major investors**: TPG Rise Fund, Endeavor Catalyst, Velocity, Satya Capital, Africa50, Apis Partners.

**Kenya rail partner**: **Pesalink** (September 2025 instant bank-to-bank merchant-payment partnership).

**Major African payment-platform competitors**:
- **[Flutterwave](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/flutterwave)** (Africa unicorn; 34-country payment processor + Polygon stablecoin)
- **[Interswitch (Verve)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/interswitch)** (NG-anchored 7-country Verve card scheme + Quickteller; African unicorn)
- **Paystack** (Stripe-acquired NG)
- **[Chipper Cash](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/chipper-cash)** (African cross-border + crypto-enabled rails)

**Regulators**: **CBK (Kenya primary) + per-country across 35 African countries**.

## Fun facts

- **2003 founding by Ken Njoroge + Bolaji Akinboro** — pan-African mobile-payments pioneer.
- **Tingg = Africa's first payments super-app** (launched 8-country baseline; now 35+).
- **35+ African countries** (largest African payment-platform reach).
- **4.5M+ daily transactions + 200+ payment methods + 80+ financial institutions (39 commercial banks)**.
- **TPG Rise Fund + Africa50 + Apis Partners**-backed.
- **September 2025 Pesalink Kenya partnership** — instant bank-to-bank merchant payments.
- **Single-API model**: One Cellulant/Tingg integration → 200+ African payment methods + 35 countries.

## Comparison

| Feature | Cellulant (Tingg) | [Flutterwave](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/flutterwave) (African unicorn rival) | [Interswitch (Verve)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/interswitch) (NG-anchored 7-country Verve) | Paystack (Stripe-acquired NG) | [Chipper Cash](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/chipper-cash) (African cross-border + crypto) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **Cellulant Corporation (Ken Njoroge CEO; TPG + Africa50 + Apis backed)** | Flutterwave (African unicorn) | Interswitch Group (Mitchell Elegbe; Helios + Visa $200M) | Paystack (Stripe subsidiary since 2020) | Chipper Cash (Stanford co-founders) |
| Type | **Pan-African payment platform / Tingg super-app** | Africa payment processor + cross-border + Polygon stablecoin | African payment processor + Verve card scheme | NG payment processor (Stripe-owned) | African cross-border P2P + crypto-enabled |
| Country | **35+ African countries** | 34 African + US + GB | NG + 6 African (GH + KE + CI + UG + TZ + ZM) | NG + GH + KE + ZA | 9 African + US + GB |
| Daily/annual tx | **4.5M+ daily (~135M monthly)** | $40B+ total payment volume | Verve 100M+ cards | Major (Stripe-owned NG) | 7M users (Dec 2025); +40% from Mar 2025 |
| Distinctive | **35-country reach via Tingg single API; Pesalink Kenya Sep 2025 partnership; 80+ financial institutions** | Polygon stablecoin Mar 2025; Uber+Netflix+thousands enterprise | Africa's 2nd fintech unicorn (post-Visa $200M 2019) | Stripe-acquired 2020 ($200M+) | Ripple+Stable crypto-enabled rails 2025 |

## Status

**Active, pan-African payments platform with widest African reach** <sup>[1][1], [3][3]</sup>:
- **Cellulant Corporation (Tingg platform)** since 2003.
- **35+ African countries + 4.5M+ daily tx + 200+ payment methods + 80+ financial institutions**.
- **September 2025 Pesalink Kenya partnership** for instant bank-to-bank merchant payments.
- **TPG Rise Fund + Africa50 + Apis Partners**-backed.
- **CBK + per-country 35-African-country regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://tingg.africa/payment-gateway/ "Tingg African payment gateway — Cellulant"
[2]: https://www.cellulant.io/ "Cellulant — official"
[3]: https://techmoran.com/2025/09/30/pesalink-cellulant-to-power-instant-bank-to-bank-merchant-payments-in-kenya/ "Pesalink + Cellulant Sep 2025 — TechMoran"
[4]: https://www.africanexponent.com/how-ken-njoroge-built-cellulant-into-a-pan-african-payments-ecosystem-powering-35-countries/ "Ken Njoroge built Cellulant 35-country — African Exponent"
[5]: https://africabriefing.com/cellulant-introduces-tingg-a-digital-payments-platform-for-the-retail-sector-in-zambia/ "Tingg Zambian retail — Africa Briefing"

- [1] [Tingg African payment gateway — Cellulant][1]
- [2] [Cellulant — official][2]
- [3] [Pesalink + Cellulant Sep 2025 — TechMoran][3]
- [4] [Ken Njoroge built Cellulant 35-country — African Exponent][4]
- [5] [Tingg Zambian retail — Africa Briefing][5]
- [global-cro] In-corpus: see country reports across 35 African countries

## Source

Biography extracted from [cellulant.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/cellulant). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.