The African digital landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with the gig economy expanding even faster. Over the past few years, freelance talent, tech adoption and cross-border collaboration have surged across the continent. In response to this shift, Upkazi was developed starting in early 2023 and has been actively serving freelancers and clients since January 2025. Now fully operational and already trusted by users in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, Upkazi stands as Africa's dedicated freelance services marketplace, built from the ground up to meet the continent’s unique needs.
Where it all began
Upkazi was conceptualized and developed by Charlie Brian, a passionate African entrepreneur and digital marketing expert. He began building Upkazi in 2023, driven by a clear mission: to empower African freelancers with a platform that is made for them, not adapted to them.
After years of research, design, testing and iteration, Upkazi has been carefully crafted to meet global standards while addressing local challenges. Every UI element, every payment gateway, every workflow was designed to serve both freelancers and clients with ease, security and professionalism. Now, in 2025, the platform is officially launching, but it’s already been active for the past few months.
Why Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda first
These three countries were chosen for strategic and data-backed reasons:
- Uganda is where Upkazi is built and first incorporated, where infrastructure, mobile money integration and community support are already in place. MTN, Airtel and Equity Bank are seamlessly integrated.
- Kenya boasts one of Africa’s most robust fintech ecosystems, with widespread M-Pesa usage, a digital-savvy population and strong freelance adoption.
- Rwanda is a rising digital hub with government support for innovation, clean internet access and a highly professional youth workforce.
These markets represent the best environment to perfect our systems, ensure quality service and build a trusted network before expanding across the continent.
A platform unlike any other
While many African freelance platforms have come and gone, Upkazi is here to stay, and here’s why.
What happened to previous platforms
Platforms like Rocketlancers in Uganda, Kuhustle and Ajira in Kenya, Asuqu in Nigeria and Tonaton Jobs in Ghana have either shut down, become inactive, or it has become a blog site with some classified buy and sell good features. Most lacked the essential components that make freelance platforms successful. They were mostly blog-style job boards with limited or no client freelancer engagement features.
Upkazi is not just another listing site. It is a comprehensive digital marketplace built with all the powerful tools freelancers and clients need to thrive.
World-class features of Upkazi
-Full fledged freelancer profiles and portfolios
-Built in messaging and order management
-Escrow based payment system to protect both buyers and sellers
-Project milestones and delivery tracking
-Client reviews, ratings and dispute management
-Affiliate and referral program for digital hustlers, and so many other top features
-Coming soon: video calling between clients and freelancers
Advantages over Fiverr and Upwork
-Localized for African users with African friendly workflows
-Lower transaction fees for freelancers
-Supports local payment methods like MTN Mobile Money, and Airtel Money
-Available to first time freelancers without requiring international bank accounts or prior experience
Payments and payouts
Clients can pay for services via Mobile Money (MTN, Airtel) in Uganda, and credit card globally.
Freelancer payouts are currently available via Equity Bank Uganda and Payoneer.
We’re working hard to add PayPal and Stripe to support all African freelancers and global clients soon.
Expansion plans
We understand that freelancers from countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, South Sudan and Ethiopia are eager to join. You are all welcome to sign up and explore the platform, but please note:
Some payout methods may not yet be fully available in your country
We’re working fast to roll out secure and easy payout systems across Africa
Our vision is clear: Upkazi will become Africa’s freelance powerhouse, a place where talent meets opportunity across the entire continent.
A call to action
Whether you’re a skilled graphic designer in Rwanda, a content writer in Kenya, a social media manager in Uganda or a client looking to outsource work to real African talent, Upkazi is the place to be.
If you’re passionate about the digital world, you can also join our Affiliate and Referral Program to earn by helping others discover Upkazi.
Let’s build the future of freelancing, for Africans and by Africans. Download our Android App available on Google Play store so that you can stay on top of your orders or hire faster.
🔗 Visit upkazi.com to sign up as a client or freelancer today.
