Global artisan market, Aba's economy, receives funding for international expansion through Shoptreo's seed investment
In the bustling city of Aba, Nigeria, a groundbreaking e-commerce startup named Shoptreo is making significant strides in digitizing informal artisanal supply chains. Established in 2021 by George Uteh and Emmanuel Jacobs, the company has been successful in connecting grassroots artisans, particularly leatherworkers in the Aba Artisanal Leather Cluster, to international markets.
Since securing investment from Rebel Seed Capital, a pan-African early-stage investor, Shoptreo has made substantial progress and impact. The investment, typically ranging between $10,000 and $50,000 per venture, has been instrumental in Shoptreo's growth. More recently, the company raised around $1.6 million in pre-series funding to further support its expansion.
Shoptreo's platform provides digital storefronts, inventory and order management features, built-in logistics and payment solutions, and inventory financing options. These tools have enabled artisans to meet the growing global demand for premium handcrafted goods, while preserving their unique identity and traditional craftsmanship.
The startup's mission is twofold: to formalize and streamline traditionally informal production systems, and to unlock new economic opportunities for underserved artisan communities, particularly in Nigeria. By digitizing the informal artisanal supply chains, Shoptreo is not only addressing the challenges faced by these communities, such as limited digital infrastructure, inadequate financing, and restricted export access, but also catalyzing the transformation of grassroots manufacturing by coupling traditional craft with fintech innovation.
Emeka Okoye, Managing Partner at Rebel Seed Capital, sees the Aba Artisanal Leather Cluster as holding immense untapped potential. He believes that Shoptreo's commitment to uplifting overlooked sectors of the economy aligns with Rebel Seed Capital's own mission. George Uteh, CEO of Shoptreo, shares this sentiment, expressing his confidence that Rebel Seed Capital understands the importance of empowering artisans and small brands to reach global markets.
With the funding, Shoptreo plans to utilize the new resources for artisan onboarding across Aba and other Nigerian craft hubs. The funding will also be used for upgrading Shoptreo's platform and tech systems to support global sales and B2B logistics. The goal is to tap into global demand for premium handcrafted goods from one of Africa's leading leather hubs.
Through digital transformation, the Aba Artisanal Leather Cluster can become a powerful engine for wealth creation, according to Emeka Okoye. With rising global interest in ethically sourced, handcrafted products, platforms like Shoptreo empower artisans to enter international markets while preserving their unique identity and traditional craftsmanship.
In summary, since its Rebel Seed Capital investment in 2021, Shoptreo has successfully leveraged digital tools and financing solutions to support informal artisans, expanded funding rounds, and is actively scaling to create a sustainable export ecosystem for Nigeria’s handcrafted goods. This positions Shoptreo as a critical player in Africa’s evolving e-commerce and artisanal export sectors.
In the process of scaling, Shoptreo has received significant investment from Rebel Seed Capital, which has enabled the startup to expand its reach and impact. This investment has been crucial in funding technological advancements for the platform, allowing it to better serve global markets and support its mission of formalizing and streamlining informal artisanal supply chains.
The company's growth and success in the e-commerce and finance sectors, specifically in the connection of grassroots artisans with international markets, showcase the potential for technology to transform traditional industries, such as the artisanal leather cluster in Aba, Nigeria, into powerful engines for wealth creation and economic growth.
