teshmbaabu

Cloud9 has always symbolized joy, freedom, and possibility.

To me, it’s that elevated state of living where life feels lighter, more connected, more meaningful. That feeling is what inspired us to create Cloud9, with a mission to build a 10x better financial experience for young Africans – that doesn’t just move money, but moves and elevates people. 

I’ve always felt deeply connected to Africa and its potential. This is the youngest continent in the world – over 70% of our population is under the age of 30. Every day, I meet young people bursting with ambition: creators building online businesses from their bedrooms, freelancers delivering work across borders, and professionals working tirelessly to secure a better future for their families. What they all have in common is hustle, creativity, and resilience. But too often, what stands between their dreams and reality is access – access to financial systems that actually work for them.

The truth is, banking in Africa is broken for us – Millennials, Zillenials, and Gen Z. We’re a tech-savvy, ambitious generation, fluent in apps and side hustles, and we deserve banking that moves as fast as we do. Yet too often, we’re underserved, excluded, or mistreated by traditional financial institutions.

That’s why we’re building Cloud9 from the ground up. Created by Africans, ex-bankers, and entrepreneurs, we’ve lived these frustrations ourselves – navigating rigid banking systems as young people, and facing clunky onboarding processes, hidden fees and inaccessible or exploitative credit. We know firsthand how poorly today’s financial tools fit the realities of modern, digital-first lives, and we are bringing that lived experience into the design of every feature.

Our vision is simple: make payments and banking effortless, rewarding, and built around how young Africans actually live, work, and play. Because when money flows, opportunities flow – and when opportunities flow, our youth and our continent rise.

But this is bigger than digital accounts. Our goal is to reimagine banking as a platform for dignity, belonging, and opportunity. We believe the next decade will decide whether African youth inherit systems that exploit them, or systems that empower them to flourish.

At its heart, Cloud9 is about redemption in finance: restoring trust, re-humanizing banking, and creating products that reflect the aspirations and realities of the people they serve. We believe you deserve more than just a place to store money. You deserve a smarter way to move it, access credit when you need it, grow your wealth, and spend with freedom – all in real time.

Africa’s youth represent the world’s single greatest growth opportunity. By 2030, young Africans are expected to make up 42% of the world’s youth population, and today, 1 in 3 Africans is already engaged in entrepreneurial activity. Over $1 trillion already flows through digital payments across the continent, yet the financial infrastructure hasn’t kept pace with this energy and ambition.

For me, Cloud9 is more than a company – it’s a movement. A chance to build a banking platform that doesn’t just process money but powers ambition, strengthens community, fuels culture, and grows alongside Africa’s 400 million youth.

If you’re a young African – or young at heart – hungry for financial freedom, cultural expression, and a brand that grows with you, welcome home. Join the waitlist to be the first to know when we launch. 

Here’s to the future,

CEO & Co-Founder, Cloud9 Money