How it works
Emergency tokens, without the emergency
Topapa is built to be used in the five stressful minutes after your power cuts. Here is how it is designed to work, from request to repayment.
Borrowing
Four steps, under a minute
Everything happens on your phone. If you can buy airtime, you can use Topapa.
Enter your meter number
At launch, open the Topapa web app on any phone and type your UEDCL prepaid meter number — the same one you use to buy tokens. We check that your meter doesn’t already have an open Topapa loan.
Pick UGX 1,000, 2,000 or 3,000
Three fixed amounts, nothing to negotiate. The screen shows exactly what you’ll repay — 1,150, 2,300 or 3,450 — before you confirm.
Confirm and receive your token
Your UEDCL Light Token is designed to arrive within moments of you confirming. Load it into your meter and the power is back.
Repay when you next buy power
Nothing more to do. Your next electricity purchase settles the loan first, then buys tokens with the rest.
Repayment
How the money comes back
Topapa doesn’t chase anyone. Repayment is designed to ride on your next electricity purchase.
Repayment is designed to work like UEDCL’s existing deduction on your next purchase — just like UEDCL’s monthly service charge, which is taken from your next purchase if it’s unpaid. Topapa’s repayment is designed as one additional amount on the same purchase.
You take a loan of UGX 2,000
Tokens worth 2,000 hit your meter. Your balance with Topapa is 2,300 — the 15% fee included.
Payday arrives, you buy UGX 10,000 of power
Via Mobile Money (MTN MoMo and Airtel Money, once integrated), like any other purchase.
The loan is settled first
2,300 clears your Topapa balance; the remaining 7,700 buys your tokens as normal.
Your meter is free to borrow again
One open loan per meter — once repaid, you’re immediately eligible next time the lights run low.
Channels
Where you can use Topapa
Web app
Built for any smartphone, tablet or computer with a browser. Enter your meter, pick an amount, get your token. No installation, designed to work on low data.
USSD — no internet needed
A short dial code that works on any handset, from a kabiriti to a smartphone. Money conversations happen over SMS-style menus — no data bundle required.
Mobile app
For regular borrowers: saved meters, token history and loan status at a glance, with the same fast delivery.
Good to know
The rules, in plain language
One open loan per meter
A meter can only carry one Topapa loan at a time. Once it’s repaid, the meter is free again. The meter — not the person — carries the loan, so it works whoever buys the power.
The fee is fixed and shown upfront
15% flat, once. Borrow 1,000, repay 1,150. There is no rolling interest, no late penalties, and nothing is deducted from your Mobile Money without a purchase you made.
Built for UEDCL meters
At launch, your loan arrives as a UEDCL Light Token for your meter. If anything goes wrong mid-transaction, the loan doesn’t stand until you have your token.
Ready to borrow? Get early access or talk to us.