In an effort to revolutionize Africa’s involvement in global trade, the Nigerian technology business Eki.digital is getting ready for a significant relaunch in March 2026.
The company’s lofty ambition is to create the first “Global Trade Zone” in history, a digital marketplace that would link African companies with buyers around the world and boost the continent’s currently modest 3% share of global trade.
Owned by Eki Holdings, the platform has been relaunched after a purposeful break during which its founder, Dr. Godwin Aigboviose Omage, redesigned and repositioned the product to better suit the needs of the digital economy in the wake of the epidemic.
The impending relaunch, according to a statement he personally signed, is “both strategic and necessary,” as it aligns with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to promote cross-border trade and integrate markets, and the growth in intra-African trade.
“Eki.digital was created to address a problem that is specific to Africa,” Omage stated. “Access is what our continent lacks, not talent.” Africa’s place in international trade can be changed by bringing entrepreneurs and purchasers together.
Omage claims that the relaunch has a clear goal: to change the economic narrative of Africa.
He clarified, “African businesses have been ancillary to the global economy for decades.” Our goal is to change that by offering a digital ecosystem that creates trust, breaks down trade barriers, and opens up new markets. Eki.digital is more than just an online store; it’s a global hub for African business and innovation.
The redesigned platform, which was designed as a complete “super app,” unifies many services under a single digital roof, such as e-commerce, job listings, real estate, and digital services.
One of the most enduring issues small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) on the continent confront will be resolved by its integrated digital wallet, which will facilitate safe and easy cross-border transactions.
Omage emphasized that a key component of the makeover was addressing payment issues.
He stated that receiving payments from overseas customers is one of the biggest challenges faced by African SMEs.
“Our integrated wallet is intended to remove that obstacle, enabling companies to conduct business with partners worldwide with assurance.”
For their first three months on the platform, new vendors will get a 10% sales bonus from Eki.digital as a way to reward early adopters. This is a component of a plan to promote adoption and foster trust, Omage clarified.
“From the beginning, we want our vendors to feel supported,” he stated. “The bonus is an indication of our faith in their abilities and our dedication to their achievement.”
Intentionally chosen as a cultural icon and a reminder of Africa’s long history of international trade, the platform’s name, “Eki,” means market in the Edo language of southern Nigeria.
Omage stated, “African economies have always been based on their markets.” “By giving our platform the name Eki, we are paying tribute to that heritage while reinventing the marketplace for the digital age.”
According to industry insiders, the project has the potential to be an important instrument in Nigeria’s efforts to diversify its economy and lessen its reliance on oil earnings.
Eki.digital, according to technology analyst Chika Okoye, is a “bold example of private-sector innovation that extends beyond solving local problems.”
The unique feature of Eki.digital, according to Okoye, is that it builds bridges to the global marketplace in addition to linking African customers and merchants. “The platform has the potential to empower thousands of SMEs and greatly enhance Africa’s standing in global trade if it is implemented successfully.”
Through the platform’s direct connection between African producers and international customers, its effects may also support the AfCFTA’s objective of removing trade obstacles throughout the continent.
“We want to see African products everywhere—on store shelves, online, and in homes all over the world,” Omage continued. “Eki.digital is how we connect talent with opportunity and supply with demand, bringing that vision to life.”
If the project is successful, it may pave the way for a new wave of technical innovations spearheaded by Africans, showcasing the continent’s ability to spur economic change, encourage entrepreneurship, and reposition itself in the international industry.
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