TradeDepot
Digitizing informal retail by helping small shops order stock, receive delivery, and access inventory credit.
Informal retail is the backbone of consumer spending in Africa. Small shops sell most daily essentials, yet their restocking process remains slow and expensive.
Many retailers travel long distances to buy goods at open markets. Prices vary, transport wastes hours, and stockouts are common.
TradeDepot simplifies this last mile. Retailers order products from multiple brands through the app or an agent. TradeDepot delivers to the shop and uses transaction data to offer pay later inventory credit.
If restocking becomes simple and credit becomes accessible, small retailers grow faster.
Key Numbers
Note: Figures verified from TechCrunch, IFC, Partech, and investment databases.
Company Information
TradeDepot is a B2B commerce and financing platform that connects FMCG manufacturers and distributors directly with informal retailers across African cities.
Leadership
| Role | Name | Background |
|---|---|---|
| Co founder and CEO | Onyekachi Izukanne | Built the platform from pilot stage to multi country operations |
| Co founder | Michael Ukpong | Early market rollout and product leadership |
| Operations | Country teams | Sales, logistics, and retailer engagement in each market |
How the Model Works
Retailers place orders digitally or through agents. TradeDepot fulfills from partner depots and delivers to the shop. Order history powers inventory credit.
What TradeDepot Controls
Growth and Results
TradeDepot expanded city by city in Nigeria before entering Ghana and South Africa. Its digital and physical network serves daily demand at scale.
Operational Highlights
- Retailer adoption: assisted channels help low digital comfort shops
- Data driven supply: FMCG brands gain visibility into last mile demand
- Inventory credit: BNPL drives higher stock availability
Where They Work
TradeDepot focuses on markets where informal retail dominates consumer spending.
| Country | Presence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria | Core market | Largest retailer base |
| Ghana | Expansion | Boosted by Green Lion acquisition |
| South Africa | Expansion | Urban FMCG focus |
Funding History
TradeDepot raised equity and debt rounds to scale logistics and credit. The Series B remains one of Africa’s largest B2B rounds.
Main Supporters
Competitive Landscape
The B2B informal retail market is competitive. Platforms compete on logistics reliability, retailer retention, and credit quality.
| Company | Model | Markets | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| TradeDepot | Marketplace plus BNPL | West and Southern Africa | Deep FMCG presence with embedded credit |
| Wasoko | B2B ordering | East Africa | TradeDepot differentiates through credit infrastructure |
| Alerzo | Nigeria B2B | Nigeria | TradeDepot has multi country footprint |
Key Lessons for Founders
What TradeDepot teaches about informal retail digitization.
- Start where money moves frequently. Informal retail offers high frequency transactions.
- Assist adoption. Agents and call centers matter as much as the app.
- Finance with discipline. BNPL works when tied to real transactions.
- Expand step by step. Infrastructure scales city by city.
• TechCrunch (2021): Series B $110M, retailer reach, markets
• Partech Africa report (2022): Series A $10M, retailer base
• IFC disclosures (2021–2023): Investment, credit thesis
• TechCabal (2022): Market expansion details
• Crunchbase / Tracxn: Funding confirmation
Data checked November 2025. tradedepot.co
