Nairobi-based automation startup, Phindor, has launched JuaFlow, a new AI workflow platform designed to help African businesses manage the high-volume daily tasks that take place across WhatsApp, SMS, phone calls, and internal chat channels.
The startup says its governed AI agents could help companies cut response times, reduce errors, and manage millions of customer interactions.
Co-founders Pheneas Munene and John Maina say the system is built to address a widening operational gap. As companies scale, their teams struggle to handle repetitive conversations, follow-up tasks, and customer queries that are still managed manually across the continent.
“Our client wanted a cheaper way to handle repetitive inquiries automatically without compromising customer experience, like identifying valuable leads and responding instantly,” Munene said. That project became Lisa, which eventually evolved into JuaFlow.”
Why Workflow Automation Is Becoming Essential
Across Africa’s retail, logistics, and service industries, staff often manage customer interactions through multiple communication channels. While these tools are accessible and familiar, they create operational bottlenecks when volumes surge.
Phindor’s team spent seven years building custom automation systems for medium-sized organisations, but each deployment required new engineering and long development cycles. Only a handful of clients could afford such bespoke systems, slowing adoption and limiting scale.
The breakthrough came in 2024 when a retail client asked for a cheaper way to handle thousands of WhatsApp and Instagram conversations. The request led to the development of Lisa, Phindor’s earlier AI assistant. It helped qualify leads, respond to enquiries, and escalate complex issues to human staff.
The startup says Lisa’s adoption, however, revealed that companies wanted the same automation extended to internal tasks, logistics updates, and operational workflows. This led to the redesign and rebranding of the product into JuaFlow, a wider workflow engine launched in July 2025.
Inside JuaFlow’s Approach
Unlike typical chatbots, JuaFlow uses a governed framework that forces the AI agent to follow organisational rules before taking any action. Each task is broken into sequenced steps, with the system checking for correct data and compliance before proceeding.
If anything appears unclear, the agent hands the task to a human to prevent unnoticed errors.
Key Features of JuaFlow
- A no-code Studio where companies design agents, set tone, upload documents, and build workflows
- A knowledge base that grounds responses and reduces hallucinations
- Memory architecture that separates short-term task context from long-term organisational data
- Integrations with websites, Slack, and internal tools via API
- Multiple workspaces for organisations managing different departments or external partners
These features allow the agents to respond to enquiries, process internal requests, confirm deliveries, or escalate judgement-heavy cases with minimal human involvement.
Preparing for Voice and Local-Language Automation
Phindor is now developing support for voice interactions and African languages, an area many global AI tools still overlook.
“Our main focus is rebuilding parts of our LLM layer to support local languages and voice. Africa is multilingual, and AI should adapt to that,” Munene said.
According to the startup, support for these patterns could significantly expand the product’s relevance across East, West, and Southern Africa.
By combining rule-based governance with LLM flexibility, Phindor hopes to offer businesses a system that can scale without sacrificing accuracy or human oversight.
JuaFlow’s launch signals the growing demand for African-built automation tools designed around the continent’s communication habits. As companies face rising customer expectations and tightening margins, industry leaders say tools like JuaFlow are emerging as a new layer of African enterprise infrastructure.
Talking Points
It is notable that Phindor has built JuaFlow to address one of the continent’s biggest operational challenges: the overwhelming volume of daily tasks managed through WhatsApp, calls, and SMS. This is the hidden layer of African business that rarely gets digitised but carries enormous workload.
By structuring AI agents with governance and step-by-step validation, JuaFlow solves a core trust issue many organisations have with automation. This alone positions it as a practical solution for teams that want speed without risking runaway or inaccurate AI actions.
At Techparley, we recognise how tools like this can streamline operations for businesses beyond major urban hubs. Many African companies rely heavily on manual interactions, so the ability to automate repetitive tasks while keeping humans in the loop can significantly improve efficiency.
However, adoption will depend on how well JuaFlow adapts to Africa’s multilingual and voice-heavy communication culture. Local-language support, accurate voice understanding, and contextual decision-making will be crucial for long-term relevance.
As JuaFlow scales, strategic partnerships with logistics firms, financial institutions, and large retail networks could accelerate its presence across the continent. With targeted integrations and strong onboarding support, JuaFlow has the potential to become a foundational workflow engine for African businesses navigating rapid growth.
——————-
Bookmark Techparley.com for the most insightful technology news from the African continent.
Follow us on Twitter @Techparleynews, on Facebook at Techparley Africa, on LinkedIn at Techparley Africa, or on Instagram at Techparleynews.
