Caantin, a Zambian artificial intelligence (AI) communications startup, is set to revolutionise business communications across Africa with its AI-driven voice agents.

Founded in 2021, the company aims to enhance customer interactions by automating conversations, reducing operational costs, and enabling businesses to scale efficiently.

Originally launched as Topup Mama, a procurement and management software for restaurants, Caantin has since evolved into an AI communications firm. The company’s AI voice agents are designed to conduct natural and intelligent conversations in multiple African languages, including Igbo, Hausa, Swahili, and Yoruba, catering to diverse linguistic needs across the continent.

The startup’s technology has already been adopted by companies such as Nigerian fintech firm Cowrywise, which utilised Caantin’s AI voice agents to make 100,000 calls with just one employee, a task that would traditionally require 30 employees over three months.

Caantin’s business model operates on a per-second billing system, similar to a telecom provider. In South Africa, the company charges four rands (2 cents) per second, while in Nigeria, it charges approximately ₦117 (7 cents) per minute. Despite being slightly more expensive per minute compared to local telecom operators, businesses benefit from reduced overhead costs associated with traditional call centres.

A key advantage of Caantin’s technology is its ability to understand local dialects, accents, and speech patterns, providing a more tailored customer experience than generic language models. This has given the startup a competitive edge in the AI-driven communication sector.

Backed by leading global investors and trusted by some of Africa’s most innovative financial institutions, Caantin is positioning itself as a pioneer in AI-powered business communications. By leveraging advanced voice solutions, the company is set to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and transform customer engagement across the continent.