Jessica Anuna is the founder and CEO of Klasha, a global fintech that streamlines cross-border payments for African consumers.
The businesswoman’s journey began while shopping online from Africa. She noticed that many global brands either did not deliver to the continent or made the process painfully tricky. African consumers were often excluded from global retail, not due to a lack of interest but due to payment restrictions and currency limitations.
Having worked at major global brands like Amazon and Shopify, she understood the power of e-commerce. In 2021, she founded Klasha, a technology company she built to solve these pain points in African trade: cross-border payments and commerce.
Klasha
Klasha is a cross-border payments technology company that enables businesses worldwide to accept payments from African consumers in their local currencies while allowing African companies to send and receive money internationally.
Interestingly, Klasha has expanded its reach to several countries across the continent. It facilitates payments in key African nations, including Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and South Africa. It also enables settlements in USD, GBP, EUR, and CNY, enabling global merchants to collect payments in African currencies and receive payouts in their preferred international currencies.
With Klasha, Jessica Anuna has made payment processes frictionless for businesses. Through tools like KlashaWire, KlashaWallet, and an integrated Checkout API, users can transact across borders without worrying about exchange rates, complex bank processes, or limited payment options.
“When we heard of Klasha, we decided to give the company a trial, and we have not regretted that decision ever since. With Klasha Wire, we’ve never had a failed transaction. All our business partners and suppliers overseas get their payments on time, and Klasha has the best FX rates.”~Customer Review
Since its inception, Klasha has seen explosive growth. According to the latest reports, the company has processed over 140 million transactions across African emerging markets. Its client base includes small businesses, large e-commerce platforms, logistics companies, and international retailers seeking a gateway into the African market.
The female-led startup has attracted significant global interest from investors. To date, it has successfully secured a total of $6.5 million in funding. This includes an initial seed round of $4.5 million, with contributions from investors such as Amex Ventures, Global Ventures, Greycroft, Seedcamp, Plug and Play, Berrywood Capital, and Breega. In October 2024, Klasha raised an additional $2 million to support its expansion into the Asian market, particularly with opening a new office in Hangzhou, China.
Through Klasha, the female tech founder enables Africans to connect globally, gain economic empowerment, and harness digital advancements.
