Griota provides unsecured loans to Bike Taxi Riders across Africa.
The loans are paid in small daily instalments.
Griota derives its name from the longstanding West-African tradition of the Griot. Every community or group of people in Africa has some form of this tradition, but in the West African societies of the Mandinka, Fula, Hausa, Songhai, Serer, Mossi, Dagomba and a few others, this is still a common practice. The Griot is a curator of oral history passed down from generation to generation to preserve heritage. They are a living archive.
We chose the name Griota because our product relies heavily on direct referrals from happy customers. It spreads orally and organically because the small business community relies on strong social networks to survive. Griota plugs in perfectly, having been designed to cater uniquely to this target market. Our loans are easy to get, processed quickly, and also allow small daily instalments, all of which provide the much-needed speed and reliability that small businesses in Africa need.
Bike-taxis are the common man’s most convenient mode of transport as they can reach areas where other modes of transport cannot reach, and are not greatly affected by the traffic jam which is the bane of every driver’s existence.
In addition, the riders earn daily income (in cash), and are neglected by most traditional lenders since they often don’t have any security to offer or any records for reference. Many of these riders have resorted to loan sharks for emergency financing because their money comes in daily and it is hard to have a lumpsum for expenses like school fees for children or emergencies like medical bills and traffic fines. When a bike-taxi rider encounters a challenge requiring more than USD 15 their only option is to borrow.
This insight is informed by experience from one of our co-founders who owned a bike-taxi and actively run it as a transport business for almost 2 years. In that time, the rider frequently requested for advances, especially when children were going back to school, or he had medical emergencies. This history gave us the confidence that the bike-taxi riders urgently need safe and hustle free credit services that they can repay daily as they work and make money.
There is no doubt that whether it is the “Okada / Zemidjan” of West Africa or the Boda Boda / Piki Piki of East Africa, the bike-taxi riders are one of the most popular modes of transportation in Africa and they have not yet found a way to formalize their business enough to qualify for traditional financing.
OUR VISION:
To be the leading supplier of credit facilities to Bike Taxi Riders globally.
OUR MISSION:
To provide reliable, fast and convenient credit services with manageable repayment options for all our customers across the African Continent.
OUR VALUES:
We value accessibility and strive to make our loans accessible to as many small businesses as possible. This involves offering loans with simple, quick and direct application processes, low interest rates, and flexible repayment options.
2. Innovation:
We value innovation and plan to stay at the forefront of the industry by continually developing and improving our loan products and services. This is by leveraging new technologies and exploring alternative lending models. Our Mobile Application goes through rigorous testing and updating to ensure it keeps up with emerging technology to improve efficiency.
3. Community:
We value community and support the small business ecosystem with much needed credit services to support growth and development within their communities. We also rely on community endorsement and referral to disburse loans, which creates a strong sense of shared responsibility towards repayment and good business practice.
AppStore
The Griota working capital loans are intended for small businesses that have daily revenue.
These include: Market Vendors, Street Food Vendors, Boda-Boda Riders, Uber Drivers, Retail Shops, Restaurants, Car Washing Bays, Hair saloons, Taxi Drivers etc.
Register on our website or download the Griota app from Playstore or Appstore
Click me to Read about our loan approval process
For existing customers, a loan can be approved in as little as 30 minutes.
For first-time customers, a loan is approved within 2 – 4 hours of all requirements being submitted.
Click me to read about our loan tiers.
Click me to read about loan duration
Dial *185*9# on Airtel Money.
Use Merchant Code 6240700 to make payment
Your payment will automatically be tagged to your phone number.
Making payment using a different Mobile Money account from the one registered with Griota:
If you are making payment through a different phone number from the one you registered with us, please put your full name on “reference”.
Loans instalments must be paid by 9pm of each day.
Log into your account to view your loan balance
Loans instalments must be paid by 9pm of each day.
If for whatever reason you are unable to make payment on that day, please contact us by 9pm of that day.
Defaulting on payment will cause you to be blacklisted. It will also affect the credit score of your referees. The loan default terms in the loan agreement will be executed.
