City, Nigeria
No be small matter! Zap Africa just dey vibe well for Nigerian crypto space as dem dey process up to $500,000 in transactions every week. Chai! E go sweet when cash dey flow like palm wine on a sunny afternoon.
Born in 2022, Zap Africa don cause small gbege for naija fintech world with wetin some people sabi as trademark wahala. You remember Paystack wey drop their ‘Zap’ product, abi? The original Zap Africa don dey operate before they come ya. But the co-founders, Tobi Asu-Johnson and Moore Dagogo-Hart, no wan let wahala stop their grind. Dem don post for X say, “There is only one Zap in Africa.” Wetin dem mean be say no be two of them dey correct.
Let’s no go far, the crypto market don face mad wahala since 2021, from scams to serious dodgy dealings. Na just FTX issue wey scatter many people head. Asu-Johnson yarn say that time many people lose their money. “Na that time we sabi say trust dey important. If we wan build something for crypto, e gatz dey safe, easy to use, and transparent,” he talk, wisdom for the mouth.
But wahala no go finish there. As they dey build, dem dey try balance between centralized and decentralized exchanges. You sabi as decentralized platforms dey waka, e get level of freedom but plenty kpali-pkala to deal with. You go dey face seed phrases and gas fees like say you dey do brain surgery. Na so e be, complexity don dey follow freedom.
Asu-Johnson come dey talk say, “Decentralised platforms dey great, but most people no sabi wetin dem dey look.” Centralised exchanges like Binance fit give you soft landing, but the risk dey much, sharp sharp. E fit waka away overnight like son of man during market close. So, Zap Africa come decide to give people wetin dem dey want—ease without loss of trust. Na make dem don dey rack up over $17 million in crypto transactions since dem come out.
Asu-Johnson disclosure say dem get over 50,000 users wey sabi the product wella, and na pure mouth to mouth wey bring dem. “No be like we dey push big money on marketing. E just dey flow,” he conclude. And wetin be the *shocking* revenue? They dey make about $100,000 monthly. Not bad for two padi wey be like say dem no go let anything stop dem.
Back to the wahala, every entrepreneur know say finding the right people dey important. Asu-Johnson discuss say, “You fit teach the technical side, but soft skills no fit be taught. Your attitude and how you they treat people matter.” So, them dey focus on building their 30-man team wey go make zap work.
As the market change, dem dey plan for bigger things like crypto payment card, that one dey important! If dem fit balance all these moves, nah only time go tell where dem go land. But one thing sure be say, dem no dey compete like others. Dem go follow wetin wey make their own different and special. Just gather your palm wine; this journey go plenty fun!
