Naspers, through its European-listed subsidiary Prosus, has launched a new artificial intelligence platform aimed at small businesses in South Africa. The tool, called ToqanClaw, is designed to help entrepreneurs build applications, automate tasks and manage workflows without writing code.

The company says the platform is being offered free of charge at launch, as it seeks to expand access to generative AI tools in emerging markets. The move adds to growing competition among global technology firms to provide practical AI systems for business users.

ToqanClaw arrives as demand increases for software that can simplify operations for small and medium-sized enterprises. Prosus says the platform is intended to reduce technical barriers and help users create digital tools through plain-language prompts.

Alongside the launch, Naspers also introduced Zapia, an AI assistant app focused on everyday productivity tasks such as scheduling, email management and booking services.

Free AI push for small businesses

Prosus said ToqanClaw is targeted at entrepreneurs, merchants and small business owners who often lack access to expensive software or technical teams. The platform is currently available in South Africa at no cost, with future pricing still under review.

The company said the goal is to make AI tools more accessible in markets where digital adoption is growing but cost remains a constraint. It added that the system has already been deployed across millions of merchants globally through its broader ecosystem.

How ToqanClaw works

ToqanClaw operates as an agentic AI system that combines multiple models, including those from Anthropic and open-source providers. The platform automatically selects the most suitable model depending on the task.

Users can build apps, dashboards and automated workflows by typing instructions in natural language. Prosus said the system is integrated with its internal AI stack, called Toqan, and keeps user data under customer control, without using it to train external models.

Cost model and usage approach

Unlike many AI platforms that rely on token-based billing and strict usage limits, Prosus said ToqanClaw currently has no usage caps. The company said this approach is intended to encourage experimentation among small businesses.

Prosus Chief Executive Fabricio Bloisi said the company’s advantage lies in its data and operational scale rather than model development alone. He said the group has spent 18 months building internal AI systems, including thousands of applications and agents used across its businesses.