Bringing Unserved Merchants Online: Tanda’s Approach to Digitizing African Commerce

Nigerian startup Tanda has emerged with a novel solution aimed at digitizing the continent’s vast informal markets. The platform, which officially launched last month, enables merchants who often lack digital experience to list and sell products online through a system that integrates directly with existing market structures.

“Rather than treating informal commerce as fragmented, we integrate directly with unions and market clusters,” explained founder and CEO Vincent Ibekwe in an interview with Disrupt Africa. “This allows us to onboard merchants through trusted leadership networks.” The platform offers features like digital product listings, wholesale pricing options, secure payment processing, and AI-powered voice assistance for those less familiar with traditional interfaces.

Tanda’s approach addresses a critical gap in the African tech landscape - millions of informal market vendors remain excluded from digital commerce due to factors like limited technical literacy, trust concerns, logistical challenges, and inadequate onboarding systems. Most existing e-commerce platforms cater primarily to formal businesses and digitally savvy users.

“Our platform differs because we’re building through established market organizations rather than individual acquisition,” Ibekwe noted. “We’re designing for low-tech accessibility with AI voice interfaces and focusing on the underlying infrastructure needed for informal markets to thrive online.” This includes addressing fulfillment coordination, payment security, and dispute resolution - all essential elements often lacking in traditional e-commerce setups.

Tanda is currently operating through early funding while seeking additional investment. The team is now focused on monitoring platform performance as usage grows and expanding their reach within target communities.