Nabakka Sandra, founder of SANDI AI Technologies, has won $50,000 at the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize 2026 for developing technology that could help farmers access loans without relying on traditional collateral.
Sandra received the award during the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, where African entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers gathered to discuss solutions to the continent’s food and agriculture challenges.
For Sandra, the problem is clear. Many smallholder farmers have years of farming experience, productive land and established markets, but still struggle to secure financing because they lack the collateral and financial records required by traditional lenders.
SANDI AI is working to change that.The startup is developing a platform that uses agricultural and farmer data to help financial institutions assess potential borrowers. Instead of relying solely on conventional measures such as collateral and credit history, the platform gives lenders a broader picture of a farmer’s activities and potential.
Using AI to make agricultural finance more accessible
Access to finance can determine whether a farmer is able to buy seeds, fertiliser, equipment and other inputs needed to increase production.Yet agricultural lending remains difficult. Farming income is often seasonal, records can be limited, and many farmers operate outside formal financial systems.SANDI AI wants to bridge that gap by using technology to help lenders better understand farmers while giving smallholder producers a pathway to credit.
Sandra said farmers should not be held back by financial systems that were not designed around their realities.“Technology allows us to understand farmers better, recognise their potential, and create pathways that allow them to access the resources they need to grow,” she said.
The $50,000 prize will support SANDI AI’s product development, expansion and efforts to reach more farming communities.
A woman founder building for African communities.
Sandra founded SANDI AI with a focus on using technology to address practical challenges facing African communities.Her background in artificial intelligence and sustainable development has shaped the company’s approach, with agriculture emerging as an area where technology can have a direct impact on livelihoods.
The GoGettaz recognition gives the Ugandan startup funding and visibility as it works to expand its agricultural finance platform.But the challenge SANDI AI is addressing goes beyond Uganda.Across Africa, millions of farmers need capital to grow their businesses, while financial institutions need better ways to assess agricultural borrowers.
For women entrepreneurs like Sandra, building solutions for these challenges is also a reminder of the role African women are playing in shaping the continent’s technology, agriculture and financial sectors.
SANDI AI’s main focus is to make agricultural finance smarter, fairer and more accessible to the farmers who need it most.
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