About Topapa
A timing problem shouldn’t cost you a day’s income
Topapa is a Ugandan-built service that bridges prepaid electricity users to their next purchase — with small, automatically-repaid token loans.
Why we exist
Across Uganda, over 2 million electricity customers are on prepaid meters. When the tokens finish, the meter cuts the power on the spot — and for a salon, a welder, a fridge owner or a kiosk, every dark hour is lost income.
Almost always, it’s a timing problem, not an inability to pay: money is coming tomorrow, but the power is needed today. Ugandans already solve this exact problem for airtime every day. We built Topapa to solve it for electricity.
What we believe
- Small is the point. Loans of UGX 1,000–3,000 are enough to bridge a household or business to payday, and small enough to be repaid in full, immediately, by the next purchase.
- Prices should be boring. One flat 15% fee, shown before you confirm. No interest that grows, no hidden charges, no fine print surprises.
- Repayment should be invisible. The loan is designed to be repaid from your next electricity purchase — like UEDCL’s monthly service charge, which is taken from your next purchase if it’s unpaid.
- Access beats paperwork. Your meter number is the credit check. If your meter is free and the lights are out, you can apply. Verification may apply as the service grows.
Where we are today
The platform is built and in private testing. We’re in discussion with UEDCL ahead of launch.
What comes next
- UEDCL and Mobile Money production integrations
- A USSD shortcode, so any handset can borrow without internet
- National ID (NIN) verification for web and mobile accounts
- Licensing, and the full public launch at topapa.app
Building relationships with utilities, telecoms or investors? Get in touch — we read everything.