Tech entrepreneurs set to launch platform to connect African artisans to global buyers

To transform cross-border trade and empower African businesses, two tech entrepreneurs, Wale Ayantoye and Ola John Ajiboye, have launched “Giri Today,” an e-commerce platform designed to connect African artisans and businesses with international buyers. The platform, currently in its final development stages, aims to capitalize on the growing global demand for authentic African products. The name “Giri Today” combines the Yoruba word “Giri,” meaning quick or efficient, with “Today,” symbolizing the platform’s global reach.

Wale Ayantoye, the CEO and founder, emphasized that Giri Today is not just another e-commerce platform but a unique solution to empower African sellers by eliminating intermediaries. This approach ensures competitive pricing, authenticity, and quality while enabling African artisans and businesses to access global markets with ease. The platform offers free product listings, enabling African sellers to reach buyers worldwide, regardless of their location, whether in Europe, the US, or Canada, with minimal friction and at local prices.

Ola Ajiboye, co-founder and CTO, shared that the platform leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning, including generative AI, to seamlessly connect buyers and sellers. Unlike traditional methods, where sellers rely on social media to find buyers, Giri Today’s algorithms bring high-intent buyers directly to sellers’ storefronts, increasing their chances of success. The founders are encouraging local entrepreneurs and businesses to be among the first to showcase their products on the platform, helping to drive innovation, sustainability, and economic growth across the African continent.