How Nigerian Youths Are Taking the Lead in Africa’s Online Trade

Eight years ago, David Adeleke was just another university student with a vision. From a modest room in a University of Ibadan hostel, he began Zeeh Africa, a platform built to close the credit gap for the financially excluded in his community. 

Today, his company supports businesses across five African countries, helping them access credit and scale. His story is only one of many that capture the rising force of Nigerian youth in Africa’s fast-evolving online economy.

From Ibadan to Lusaka, Lagos to Kigali, young Nigerians are no longer waiting on traditional systems to provide jobs. They are creating new ones online. In fintech, ecommerce, cloud services, and edtech, these youths are turning challenges into opportunities, using technology not just to survive Nigeria’s harsh economy, but to lead the continent’s digital trade movement.

A generation fueled by necessity and innovationWith youth unemployment hovering at concerning levels, survival has become the mother of innovation. “Jobs are no longer there,” said Femi Egbesola, president of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria. 

“Many youths today are driven by survival, not just passion.”

And so, many are turning to digital sectors that require low startup capital, flexible working models, and scalable potential. 

Startups like Flutterwave and Moniepoint have shown what’s possible, blazing trails that others now follow. According to Nigeria’s Ministry of Trade, 80% of digital businesses in the country are run by people between the ages of 25 and 44, with over half of them launched in just the past three years.

Building beyond bordersWhat’s striking is the continental impact. From Nigeria, these young entrepreneurs are stretching digital footprints across Africa. 

Whether it’s Adeleke helping market traders in Uganda secure loans, or IT firms building WAEC-tailored education platforms for students in Ghana and Sierra Leone, the focus is clear: expansion.

And this expansion is being made easier by fast, paperless cross-border payment systems. Businesses now get paid in foreign currencies and receive the naira equivalent in seconds. 

E-commerce and digital platforms have eliminated geographical limitations, allowing Nigerian entrepreneurs to serve customers in Kenya, Egypt, Rwanda, and beyond.

As one entrepreneur put it, “If you want to grow, you look to West Africa first. The fusion is natural.”

Policy and platforms paving the wayThis wave didn’t happen in isolation. Policy interventions have played a crucial role. The “Cashless Nigeria” initiative laid early groundwork. The Nigerian Startup Act of 2022 has since given legal and financial structure to the ecosystem. 

Add to that the Nigeria ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Vision (NIIEV), which sees ICT contributing up to 25% of GDP, and the momentum becomes undeniable.

At the recent AfCFTA Digital Trade Forum in Zambia, Nigeria’s Minister of Trade Jumoke Oduwole made it clear: “Nigeria is not just participating in Africa’s digital revolution; we are helping shape it.”

Women at the helmWomen are also making their mark. Data shows that women founded 64% of Nigeria’s digital health startups and 48% of edtech companies. It’s a reminder that the digital shift is not just youth-led—it’s inclusive.

What you should knowBut this growth comes with hurdles. Scaling across borders is still expensive. Economic instability means that while entrepreneurs may be making sales, converting profits to dollars can feel like losing ground. 

Low purchasing power within Nigeria also limits local growth potential, forcing many to look outward.

Even so, the resolve remains strong. As Egbesola puts it, “Exports have become a survival strategy. And the only way to make that work is through tech.”

The World Trade Organisation now calls digitally delivered services the fastest-growing segment of global trade. 

Nigerian youths are not just catching up, they’re setting the pace. What started as isolated dreams in student hostels and small internet cafés is now a continental movement.

Africa’s digital future may be uncertain, but one thing is clear: